Bellevue drops doubleheader to league-leading DSU

Frontier Conference Standings

BELLEVUE, Neb. — Marguerite Brown's six-hit afternoon and a tight defensive battle in the opener were not enough to halt the Frontier Conference's top team, as Bellevue University dropped a doubleheader to league-leading Dickinson State University on Friday afternoon at the Renner Dennis Outdoor Athletic Complex. The Blue Hawks took the first contest 2-1 before securing a 9-2 victory in the nightcap.

Bellevue fell to 20-25 overall and 10-14 in Frontier Conference play. DSU improved to 34-12 overall and 22-4 in league action, extending its winning streak to 18 games.

Game 1: Dickinson State 2, Bellevue 1

The Blue Hawks opened the scoring in the top of the first when Celina Wilharm singled, stole second, and crossed the plate on a Kiley Hubby double to left field. Both pitching staffs then settled in, with Bellevue starter Daniela Ramirez and DSU's Reagan King trading zeros over the next two frames. Ramirez notably escaped a two-on jam in the third by inducing an inning-ending fielder's choice to keep the deficit at a single run.

The Bruins manufactured the equalizer in the bottom of the fourth. Mariah Unverzagt drew a walk, advanced to second on a bunt single by Miranda Garcia, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Savannah Short to knot the game at 1-1.

DSU reclaimed the lead for good in the fifth against the Bellevue bullpen when Wilharm delivered an RBI infield single to plate Allyson Farrington.

Bellevue mounted a final push in the bottom of the seventh, putting two aboard following a one-out double from Brown and a walk by Breanne McMurtry, but a game-ending force out at third base sealed the 2-1 decision.

Game 2: Dickinson State 9, Bellevue 2

Bellevue starting pitcher Carly Bertolini erased a leadoff single in the top of the first by inducing a 5-3-4 double play. The Bruins then struck first in the bottom of the second. Garcia doubled to right field, Leslie Egan walked, and Short drove them both in with a base hit to right, giving Bellevue a 2-0 advantage.

DSU answered with a four-run third inning, capitalizing on a crucial defensive error to keep the frame alive. Octavia Meyer ripped a two-run triple down the left-field line, and Viennah Meyer followed with an RBI single, putting the Blue Hawks ahead 4-2.

After Bertolini bounced back with a perfect fourth inning, DSU broke the game open in the late stages. The Blue Hawks extended their lead with three runs in the sixth, highlighted by a two-run double to left-center from Wilharm, before Viennah Meyer capped the scoring in the seventh with a two-run single to make it 9-2.

The Bruins threatened with multiple runners in both the sixth and seventh frames—including a pinch-hit double from Ramirez in the final inning—but were unable to close the gap.

Inside the Numbers

• Bellevue: 1 run on 7 hits, 1 error, 9 LOB; DSU: 2 runs on 6 hits, 1 error, 7 LOB
• Bellevue: 2 runs on 7 hits, 1 error, 8 LOB; DSU: 9 runs on 13 hits, 0 errors, 7 LOB
• Bellevue struggled to capitalize with runners in scoring position across the doubleheader, going 0-for-8 in the opener and 2-for-11 in the nightcap.
• Marguerite Brown reached base safely in eight of her nine plate appearances on the day.
• Two of the Blue Hawks' four runs in the pivotal third inning of Game 2 were unearned.

Top Performers

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

Bellevue

• Marguerite Brown: 6-for-7, 2 2B, 1 BB
• Savannah Short: 1-for-4, 3 RBI
• Miranda Garcia: 2-for-5, 1 2B, 1 R, 1 BB
• Mariah Unverzagt (Game 1): 3.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
• Daniela Ramirez (Game 1): L (1-2), 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K

Dickinson State

• Celina Wilharm: 4-for-8, 1 2B, 1 R, 3 RBI, 2 SB
• Octavia Meyer: 3-for-6, 1 3B, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB
• Viennah Meyer: 3-for-7, 1 R, 3 RBI
• Reagan King (Game 1): W (10-4), 7.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
• Hope Fath (Game 2): W (11-1), 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K

Up Next

The Bruins will conclude the four-game league series with DSU beginning at noon tomorrow (April 25) at the Renner Dennis Outdoor Athletic Complex. Bellevue's three seniors, Emma Crisman, Miranda Garcia, and Savannah Short, will all be honored following the doubleheader.