Bruins split in Day 2 of Viterbo series

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
NSAA Standings

LA CROSSE, Wis. -- For the second-straight day, the Bellevue University softball team split with Viterbo University in North Star Athletic Association action at the Viterbo Outdoor Athletic Complex. 

The Bruins won the first game, 7-2, before dropping the nightcap, 5-3, in eight innings. 

With the split, the Bruins moved to 20-13 on the season and 6-2 in the NSAA. Viterbo is now 5-17 overall and 5-3 in league play.  

Bellevue will host Dakota State University on Wednesday, April 7, in a 4 p.m. doubleheader at Roy Smith Field. 

Game 1: Bellevue 7, Viterbo 2

The Bruins scored seven runs over the first three innings and rode the solid pitching effort of Lauren Jurek en route to the 7-2 victory in the opener. 

Maricela Egan and Ellie Bliemeister both had a pair of hits in the victory while Emily Rochford drove in three runs with her fifth home run of the year.  

Sacrifice flies by Ashley Young and Allison O'Driscoll gave the Bruins an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first.  

An RBI single to center field by Egan and a run-scoring double to left field by Bliemeister extended the BU advantage to 4-0 in the top of the second frame. 

Rochford launched a three-run homer to left field to give BU a 7-0 margin in the top of the third.  

The V-Hawks avoided the shutout, scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth after a double steal plated Caitlin Brown and a BU fielding error allowed Autumn Olson to score, slicing the lead to 7-2. 

Jurek improved to 11-5 on the season, allowing just four hits with no walks and four strikeouts in seven innings in the circle. 

Janelle Ulaszek suffered the loss, giving up seven runs on six hits with no walks and one strikeout in the first two innings of the contest.  

Game 2: Viterbo 5, Bellevue 3 (8 innings)

Karissa Walsh launched a pair of two-run homers, including the walk-off blast in the bottom of the eighth to help the V-Hawks earn the split.  

The Bruins grabbed a 3-0 lead in the top of the second with RBI singles from Egan, Bliemeister, and Lauren Russell. 

Sparked by a two-run homer to right field by Walsh, Viterbo responded in the bottom half of the third, tying the contest at 3-3.

Neither team scored again until the bottom of the eighth when Jacky Mathews' single to right field set up Walsh's game-winning two-run homer over the right-field fence, giving the V-Hawks the 5-3 victory. 

Rochford was tagged with the loss, giving up four runs on five hits with one walk and five strikeouts in 6.2 innings. 

Amanda Bogdonovich earned the victory, scattering 11 hits with two walks and one strikeout in eight innings of work.