Bruins sweep Comets to claim Frontier series in Fargo

FARGO, N.D. — Bellevue University swept its Frontier Conference doubleheader with Mayville State University on Sunday at Tharaldson Park, taking a 9-4 win in the opener before completing the sweep with a 5-3 victory in Game 2. After splitting Saturday's twin bill, the Bruins secured the four-game series, 3-1.

The Bruins are now 15-14 overall and 5-3 in Frontier Conference play. MSU is 10-16 overall and 4-4 in league action.

BU pounded out 28 hits on the day and earned its first conference sweep of the season after three straight splits.

Game 1: Bellevue University 9, Mayville State University 4

Bellevue erased a three-run deficit and pulled away behind a 17-hit performance in the opener. The Bruins scored twice in the fourth to close the gap, seized control with four runs in the fifth, and added three more late to secure the 9-4 win.

How It Happened

MSU struck first in the third. Madison Terres led off the inning with a solo home run, and the Comets added two more later in the frame on RBI singles from Haylie Padgett and Ella Janzen to build a 3-0 lead. With MSU threatening for more, Bellevue cut down runners at third and at home on back-to-back caught-stealing plays to end the inning.

BU answered in the fourth. Carly Bertolini and Macie Wyman opened the inning with singles, and Savannah Short's two-run double to right-center pulled the Bruins within 3-2.

Bellevue surged in front in the fifth. Mariah Unverzagt tripled to start the inning and scored when Breanne McMurtry launched a two-run homer, putting BU ahead 4-3. Later in the frame, Bertolini singled, and Emma Crisman followed with a two-run homer to extend the advantage to 6-3.

MSU trimmed the margin in the bottom of the fifth on Padgett's RBI single, cutting the deficit to 6-4, but the Bruins answered in the sixth. Brown doubled and scored on Unverzagt's RBI double to make it 7-4.

Bellevue added two more in the seventh. Crisman singled, and Short doubled before Wyman lined a two-run single to bring both runners home and close the scoring at 9-4.

Inside the Numbers

• Bellevue: 9 runs on 17 hits, 0 errors, 9 left on base; MSU: 4 runs on 18 hits, 0 errors, 13 left on base
• BU finished 5-for-14 with runners in scoring position; MSU went 6-for-14
• Pitching note: Unverzagt tossed two scoreless innings in relief to earn the save

Game 2: Bellevue University 5, Mayville State University 3

Bellevue scored three runs in the third inning and added an insurance run in the seventh as the Bruins completed the sweep with a 5-3 win. Lindsey Dressman struck out nine in six innings, and Ellie Zoucha closed it in the seventh.

How It Happened

BU opened the scoring in the first. Unverzagt singled and moved to second on a wild pitch before Brown's RBI single to right field gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead.

MSU answered in the bottom half. Ella Janzen singled, stole second, and scored on Lisa-Marie Cante's RBI single to left-center to tie it 1-1.

Bellevue created separation in the third. Unverzagt singled to start the inning and, after Leslie Egan doubled, McMurtry doubled to left to drive in the go-ahead run and put BU in front 2-1. Wyman followed with an RBI double that brought home McMurtry and Egan as the Bruins stretched the lead to 4-1.

The Comets made it a one-run game in the sixth. Lindsey Tulla doubled, Cante walked, and Ryanne Bass lined a two-run double to left-center to cut the deficit to 4-3.

BU answered in the seventh. Brown doubled and scored on McMurtry's RBI single to provide an extra run, and Zoucha worked around a one-out single by Haylie Padgett in the bottom half, retiring the next two batters to earn her first save of the season.

Inside the Numbers

• Bellevue: 5 runs on 11 hits, 0 errors, 7 left on base; MSU: 3 runs on 5 hits, 0 errors, 5 left on base
• BU went 6-for-10 with runners in scoring position
• Pitching note: Dressman struck out nine over six innings, and Zoucha allowed one hit in a scoreless seventh

Top Performers

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

Bellevue University

• Macie Wyman — 3-for-6, 2 2B, 3 RBIs
• Marguerite Brown — 2-for-7, 2 2B, RBI, 2 runs
• Breanne McMurtry — 2 HR, 4 RBIs
• Savannah Short — 3-for-7, 4 2B, 2 RBIs
• Lindsey Dressman — W (2-0), 6.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 9 K (Game 2)
• Ellie Zoucha — S (1), 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (Game 2)
• Carly Bertolini — W (5-5), 5.0 IP, 14 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K (Game 1)
• Mariah Unverzagt — S (2), 2.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (Game 1)

Mayville State University

• Ella Janzen — 5-for-8, RBI
• Haylie Padgett — 5-for-7, 2 RBIs
• Madison Terres — HR, RBI (Game 1)

Up Next

The Bruins will travel to Madison, S.D., tomorrow (March 30) for a 2 p.m. Frontier Conference doubleheader at Dakota State University.