Bruins open four-game series with split against MSU

Frontier Conference Standings

FARGO, N.D. — Bellevue University's softball team dropped the opener but wouldn't go quietly, rallying behind Marguerite Brown's two-run home run and a gutty combined mound effort from Ellie Zoucha and Carly Bertolini to split a Frontier Conference doubleheader with Mayville State University on Saturday at Tharaldson Park. The Comets took Game 1 by a 7-1 count, but the Bruins answered in the nightcap with a 4-3 victory to even the series heading into Sunday's conclusion.

Bellevue stands at 13-14 overall and 3-3 in Frontier Conference play. MSU is 10-14 overall and 4-2 in league play.

Game 1: Mayville State University 7, Bellevue University 1

MSU took the opener behind a 12-hit attack that featured home runs by Lindsey Tulla and Ryanne Bass, with Lacey Mathiowetz going the distance to secure the victory.

How It Happened

BU threatened immediately when Brown, Unverzagt, and McMurtry loaded the bases with one out in the first, but Lacey Mathiowetz induced a strikeout and a groundout to strand all three. Tulla answered in the bottom half with a two-out solo home run, her fifth of the season, to give MSU a 1-0 edge.

Fisher pulled BU even in the third, leading off with a solo home run, her third of the season, to knot it at 1-1. The Comets reclaimed the lead immediately, however, as Janzen reached on a fielding error at third base and Terres followed two batters later with a two-run double to left center. Both runs were unearned, and MSU led 3-1 after three.

The Comets put it away in the sixth. Cante singled and Beckel entered to run for her. After Fuxa popped out, Stinson singled to move Beckel to second, and Bass launched a three-run home run to push the lead to 6-1. Sierra added an RBI double later in the frame to account for the seventh run. Fisher doubled with two outs in the seventh but Mathiowetz got Brown to line out and end the game.

Unverzagt took the loss, falling to 5-4, after going six innings and allowing 12 hits and seven runs, five earned, with one walk and one strikeout. Mathiowetz earned the win and improved to 7-6 with a complete-game effort, surrendering six hits and one earned run while striking out six.

Inside the Numbers

• Bellevue: 1 run on 6 hits, 1 error, 7 LOB; Mayville State: 7 runs on 12 hits, 0 errors, 4 LOB
• Bellevue went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position
• Two of MSU's seven runs were unearned, both scoring in the third inning following a fielding error at third base
• Fisher accounted for both BU extra-base hits, going 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a double
• Bass's three-run home run in the sixth was the decisive blow, accounting for three of MSU's final four runs

Game 2: Bellevue University 4, Mayville State 3

The Bruins bounced back in the nightcap behind Brown's two-run homer, timely hitting from Garcia and Crisman, and a combined mound effort from Zoucha and Bertolini.

How It Happened

BU created early opportunities against MSU starter Baileigh Momberg but couldn't convert. Fisher reached on a hit by pitch and stole second in the first, with Brown drawing a walk behind her, but Unverzagt reached on a fielder's choice that retired Fisher at third and Momberg got the next two batters to pop up. In the third, the Bruins loaded the bases when Unverzagt reached on a strikeout and wild pitch, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error, McMurtry walked and Garcia was hit by a pitch. But Momberg struck out Egan and got Short to pop up to escape.

BU broke through in the fourth. With two outs, Fisher walked and Brown launched a two-run home run, her third of the season, to put the Bruins ahead 2-0.

MSU answered immediately. Sierra walked and moved to second on a wild pitch. After Tulla struck out, Terres doubled to left field to score Sierra, and Cante followed with an RBI double to right center to score Terres and knot the game at 2-2.

The Bruins reclaimed the lead in the fifth. Garcia singled down the left-field line and moved to second on Egan's sacrifice bunt. Macie Wyman entered as a pinch hitter and flied out to left, but Crisman delivered with an RBI single to plate Garcia and make it 3-2.

BU had a chance to pad the lead in the sixth when Brown doubled with one out, but Momberg got Unverzagt to strike out looking and induced a flyout from McMurtry to end the threat.

The Bruins added an insurance run in the seventh. Garcia singled and advanced to third on Egan's sacrifice bunt. Short then delivered a run-scoring sacrifice fly to center to push the lead to 4-2. Bertolini, who had entered in the bottom of the sixth, retired Stinson and Fuxa before Padgett singled and Janzen doubled to right center to score Padgett and cut the deficit to 4-3. Bertolini got Sierra to ground out to seal the win.

Zoucha earned the victory, improving to 3-5, after tossing five innings and striking out seven while allowing three hits, two runs and two walks. Bertolini recorded her first save of the season, working two innings and surrendering three hits and one earned run. Momberg suffered the loss and fell to 3-5, going the distance but allowing seven hits and four runs while issuing four walks.

Inside the Numbers

• Bellevue: 4 runs on 7 hits, 0 errors, 10 LOB; Mayville State: 3 runs on 6 hits, 1 error, 5 LOB
• Bellevue went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position
• BU swiped four bases, all against the Momberg-Fuxa battery, with Unverzagt stealing twice
• Momberg threw 134 pitches in the loss, issuing four walks and hitting two batters

Top Performers

(Totals reflect combined numbers from both games unless otherwise noted)

Bellevue University

• Kaitlyn Fisher — 2-for-6, HR, 2B, 2 R, 1 RBI
• Marguerite Brown — 3-for-6, HR, 2B, 1 R, 2 RBI
• Miranda Garcia — 2-for-3, 2 R (Game 2)
• Emma Crisman — 1-for-4, 1 RBI (Game 2)
• Ellie Zoucha — Win (3-5), 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K (Game 2)
• Carly Bertolini — Save (1), 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (Game 2)
• Mariah Unverzagt — Loss (5-4), 6.0 IP, 12 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (Game 1)

Mayville State University

• Madison Terres — 3-for-6, 2 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI
• LisaMarie Cante — 4-for-6, 2 2B, 1 RBI
• Lindsey Tulla — 2-for-3, HR, 1 R, 1 RBI (Game 1)
• Ryanne Bass — 2-for-3, HR, 1 R, 3 RBI (Game 1)
• Ella Janzen — 3-for-8, 2 2B, 2 R, 1 RBI
• Lacey Mathiowetz — Win (7-6), 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K (Game 1)

Up Next

The two teams will complete the four-game conference series with a noon doubleheader tomorrow (March 29) at Tharaldson Park.