BU bats come alive to complete series sweep
The Bellevue University softball team pounded out 27 hits, including five home runs, as the Bruins completed the four-game conference series sweep at Viterbo University Sunday afternoon at Viterbo Athletic Complex. Bellevue won the first game, 11-2, in six innings and the second contest, 12-2.
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
NSAA Standings
LaCROSSE, Wis. -- The Bellevue University softball team pounded out 27 hits, including five home runs, as the Bruins completed the four-game conference series sweep at Viterbo University Sunday afternoon at Viterbo Athletic Complex. Bellevue won the first game, 11-2, in six innings and the second contest, 12-2.
With the two wins, the Bruins improved to 14-7 on the season and 4-0 in the North Star Athletic Association. Viterbo dropped to 0-14 overall and 0-4 in league play.
The Bruins will host the College of St. Mary on Wednesday, March 29, in a single non-conference contest beginning at 6 p.m. at Roy Smith Field in Omaha. The game will be an NFCA StrikeOut Cancer event supporting the Nicki G. Foundation, which raises funds to award scholarships to local high school students in their pursuit of playing collegiate softball.
Game 1: Bellevue 11, Viterbo 2
The Bruins collected 11 hits, including three home runs, en route to the 11-2 win in the opener.
In the first at-bat of the day, Reese Floro set the tone for the game with a solo homer to right field to give the Bruins an early 1-0 advantage. It was her third home run of the series.
The Bruins added three more runs in the top of the second frame on a two-run double to center field by Floro and an RBI single up the middle by Leslie Egan, making it 4-0.
BU erupted for seven runs on six hits in the top of the fourth, highlighted by a three-run homer to left field by Sami Reding, a solo homer to left-center by Lauren Jurek, and a two-run single up the middle by Atiana Rodriguez, giving the Bruins an 11-0 lead.
The V-Hawks avoided the shutout, scoring two runs in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI double to right field by Marissa Carter-Olson and on a ground-out RBI by Grace Brewer that scored Carter-Olson from third, making the final 11-2.
Lauren Jurek (3-1) earned the win, allowing just two hits with no walks and three strikeouts in four innings of work.
Game 2: Bellevue x, Viterbo x
Liana McMurtry (5) and Sami Reding (4) combined to drive in nine runs as BU produced 16 hits in the 12-1 victory in the nightcap.
An RBI double to right-center field by McMurtry drove in Floro to give the Bruins an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
A sacrifice fly to center field by McMurtry sent home Floro from third, giving BU a 2-0 advantage in the top of the fifth frame.
The Bruins gained a seven-run cushion in the top of the sixth on Reding's second three-run homer of the day and on a two-run single to right-center field by Rodriguez.
The V-Hawks sliced the lead to 7-1 in the bottom of the sixth, scoring on an RBI single up the middle by Alina Garstka that scored Grace Brewer from third.
A three-run homer to center field by McMurtry highlighted a five-run seventh inning as BU pushed the margin to 12-1.
Savannah Gunn improved to 3-1 on the season with the victory. She allowed one run on four hits with no walks and four strikeouts in seven complete innings of work.
McMurtry finished the game 2-for-4 with five RBIs, a double, and a home run. Reding was 2-for-5 with four RBIs, a home run, and two runs scored.