Bruins battle back for sweep over DSU

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

NSAA Standings

MADISON, S.D. -- The Bellevue University softball team battled from behind in both contests, including coming back from a five-run seventh inning deficit in the nightcap, as BU earned a doubleheader sweep at Dakota State University Thursday evening at Thue Softball Complex. The Bruins won by scores of 7-3 and 8-6. 

BU, who has won eight straight, improved to 32-11 on the season and 18-2 in the NSAA. DSU dropped to 16-23 overall and 11-9 in league play. 

The Bruins will host Presentation College this Saturday and Sunday, April 23-24 in a four-game series. Saturday's doubleheader will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday's twin bill will commence at noon.  

Game 1: Bellevue 7, Dakota State 3

The Bruins overcame an early three-run deficit, scoring six runs in the final three innings en route to the 7-3 victory in the opener. 

Allison O'Driscoll and Katie Cunningham both drove in a pair of runs to lead the BU offense. 

The Trojans took an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning highlighted by a two-run inside the park homer by Mackenzie Sims.

A sacrifice fly to center field by Ashley Young scored Liana McMurtry from third to slice to lead to 3-1 in the top of the third frame. 

Sami Reding scored from third on a passed ball to pull the Bruins to within one run at 3-2 in the top of the fifth inning. 

The Bruins took a 5-3 lead in the top of the sixth on a two-run double to left field by Cunningham and on an RBI single to right field by Reding. 

A two-run double to left field by O'Driscoll extended the BU advantage to 7-3 in the top of the seventh. 

Lauren Jurek earned the win, improving to 7-2 on the season, scattering four hits with no walks and two strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work. Cunningham picked up her second save of the season, allowing just one hit in the final 1.2 innings of the contest. 

Angela Slattery (7-7) took the loss, giving up four runs on two hits with two walks and one strikeout in 5.1 innings.  

Game 2: Bellevue 8, Dakota State 6

The Bruins used a wild seven-run seventh inning to pull out a dramatic 8-6 victory in the nightcap.

BU scored six of the seven runs in the seventh with two outs after taking advantage of a pair of Trojan errors and a wild pitch. 

A two-run single up the middle by Sarah Torres gave the Trojans a 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the second inning. 

Maricela Egan opened up the fifth inning with a single to center field. Slattery issued three consecutive walks as BU got on the board with a bases-loaded free pass to Floro, cutting the lead to 2-1. Slattery ended the damage, getting out of the inning by striking out McMurtry and inducing a force out at third to keep it a one-run ball game.   

The Trojans responded in the bottom of the sixth frame, scoring four runs, highlighted by a two-run single to left field by Torres, a groundout RBI by Rosie Philop, and a bases-loaded walk to Madison Aldendifer, giving DSU a 6-1 lead heading into the final inning. 

A sacrifice fly to left field by Floro brought BU to within four runs at 6-2 in the top of the seventh. After consecutive DSU errors kept BU alive, an RBI single by O'Driscoll and a run-scoring double by Egan brought the Bruins to within a run at 6-5. Alexa Sidel tied the contest at 6-all when she scored on a wild pitch by Slattery. An error by second baseman Aldendifer allowed two more runs to score as BU took an 8-6 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. 

Reliever Savannah Gunn retired the side in the bottom of the seventh to earn her eighth win of the season, improving to 8-1. Gunn allowed just one hit in the final 1.1 innings of play as she was the third BU pitcher to enter the circle. 

Philop (1-5) suffered the loss, giving up six runs on five hits. Only two of the Bruins' eight runs were earned.

Egan led the BU offense in the win, going 4-for-4 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI.