Brown sets doubles record in doubleheader split at BSC

Frontier Conference Standings

BISMARCK, N.D. — Marguerite Brown set a program record with her 23rd double of the season, and the Bellevue University softball team hit five combined home runs to split a Frontier Conference doubleheader against Bismarck State College on Sunday at Starion Bank Turf Softball Field. The Bruins captured the opener 7-2 before the Mystics rallied for a 6-5 walk-off victory in the nightcap.

Bellevue stands at 20-21 overall and 10-10 in Frontier Conference play. Bismarck State is 12-28 overall and 7-12 in league play.

Game 1: Bellevue University 7, Bismarck State 2

BU utilized four extra-base hits, including three home runs, and a complete-game effort from Carly Bertolini to pull away from the Mystics in the opener.

How It Happened

Breanne McMurtry staked BU to an early lead, launching a two-out solo home run to right field in the top of the first inning. The Mystics answered in the bottom half when Grace Grimm delivered an RBI double to center to knot the game at 1-1.

The Bruins broke the tie in the fourth when Miranda Garcia belted a two-run homer to center, scoring Mariah Unverzagt. Leslie Egan added a solo shot in the fifth to extend the lead to 4-1. Later in the fifth frame, Marguerite Brown ripped a double to left-center, setting the Bellevue single-season program record with her 23rd two-bagger of the year.

BU put the game out of reach in the seventh. Kaitlyn Fisher laced an RBI double to left, and Brown followed with a two-run home run to right field to make it 7-1. BSC added a run in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI double by Jada Walter, but Carly Bertolini closed the door to secure the complete-game victory.

Inside the Numbers

• Bellevue: 7 runs on 9 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB; Bismarck State: 2 runs on 5 hits, 1 error, 5 LOB
• Bellevue went 3-for-5 with runners in scoring position
• Brown's fifth-inning double was her 23rd of the season, setting a single-season program record
• Bertolini threw 116 pitches in the complete-game victory

Game 2: Bismarck State 6, Bellevue University 5

The Mystics rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, walking off the Bruins to salvage the doubleheader split.

How It Happened

After three scoreless innings, Bellevue struck first in the fourth. Emma Crisman crushed a two-run home run to center, and Laila Fiscus added a two-out RBI single to give the Bruins a 3-0 edge.

Bismarck State answered immediately in the bottom half. Brielle Wrangham hit a leadoff solo home run, Grimm lined an RBI double, and Tayler Falcon added an RBI groundout to tie the game at 3-3.

The Bruins reclaimed the lead in the sixth. Unverzagt homered to right field, and Fisher drove in Savannah Short with a two-out RBI single to put BU ahead 5-3.

The Mystics rallied in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Savannah Gustavsson delivered a two-run double to center to tie the game at 5-5. Wrangham followed with a walk-off RBI single, plating Gustavsson to seal the 6-5 win.

Inside the Numbers

• Bellevue: 5 runs on 9 hits, 0 errors, 6 LOB; Bismarck State: 6 runs on 7 hits, 1 error, 3 LOB
• Bellevue went 3-for-9 with runners in scoring position
• Fisher recorded a multi-hit performance, going 3-for-4 with an RBI

Top Performers

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

Bellevue University

• Kaitlyn Fisher — 5-for-8, 2B, 1 R, 2 RBI
• Leslie Egan — 3-for-7, HR, 2B, 3 R, 1 RBI
• Mariah Unverzagt — 2-for-7, HR, 2B, 2 R, 1 RBI
• Marguerite Brown — 1-for-8, HR, 2B, 1 R, 2 RBI
• Miranda Garcia — 1-for-5, HR, 1 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB
• Emma Crisman — 1-for-6, HR, 1 R, 2 RBI
• Breanne McMurtry — 1-for-7, HR, 1 R, 1 RBI
• Carly Bertolini — Win (9-5), 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (Game 1)
• Mariah Unverzagt — Loss (5-7), 2.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (Game 2)

Bismarck State College

• Grace Grimm — 2-for-3, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB
• Brielle Wrangham — 2-for-5, HR, 1 R, 2 RBI
• Savannah Gustavsson — 1-for-8, 2B, 1 R, 2 RBI
• Kaia Hennings — Win (1-2), 7.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 K (Game 2)
• Kya Kulzer — Loss (2-9), 6.1 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 1 K (Game 1)

Up Next

The two teams will complete the four-game series with a noon doubleheader tomorrow (April 20) at Scheels Field - Cottonwood Park.