Late rally falls short in Frontier opener against VCSU

DICKINSON, N.D. — No. 6 seed Bellevue University rallied from a three-run deficit and took a two-run lead in extra innings, but No. 3 seed Valley City State University answered with three runs in the bottom of the eighth to edge the Bruins 6-5 Thursday in the opening round of the Frontier Conference Softball Tournament at Bravera Field at the Sanford Sports Complex.

The Bruins fell to 20-28 overall and moved into the loser's bracket of the eight-team, double-elimination Frontier Conference Softball Tournament. VCSU improved to 26-24.

How It Happened

Daniela Ramirez started in the circle for BU and worked around early traffic, allowing two hits over 2.2 scoreless innings. VCSU loaded the bases with two outs in the third on a walk and two hit batters, but Carly Bertolini entered in relief and got Jenna Decker to ground out to Miranda Garcia at second to keep the game scoreless.

Bellevue put runners on the corners in the fourth after Mariah Unverzagt singled, stole second, advanced on a groundout, and Breanne McMurtry walked, but Maddy Hazelton ended the threat with a strikeout.

The Vikings broke through in the fifth. Avery Kuklinski singled, stole second, and Kennadi Stone walked before Kylee Banerd hit a two-out, three-run home run to give VCSU a 3-0 lead.

BU answered in the seventh with a three-run rally. Garcia opened the inning with a double, Leslie Egan and Emma Crisman drew walks, and Laila Fiscus reached on a fielder's choice that retired Garcia at the plate. Ramirez followed with a two-run single to left, scoring Egan and Crisman, and Marguerite Brown tied the game with a two-out RBI single that brought home Fiscus.

VCSU loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh after a Stone single, an Olivia Kalbus stolen base, a hit batter, and a Decker single. Unverzagt kept the game tied by striking out Anna Kowalyk and Ahleeya Nicola before Katelyn MacNeill lined out to Savannah Short at third.

The Bruins moved in front in the eighth. McMurtry opened the inning with a solo home run, and Egan added a solo shot one out later to give BU a 5-3 lead.

The Vikings responded in the bottom half. Kuklinski walked, Bailey Leroux delivered a pinch-hit RBI double, and Madden Bogenreif followed with a two-run walk-off home run.

Cooper Klaahsen earned the win for VCSU, improving to 9-6 after allowing one run on two hits with one walk and one strikeout in one inning. Unverzagt fell to 6-9, allowing three runs on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts in two innings. Ramirez allowed two hits and one walk over 2.2 scoreless innings for BU, while Bertolini allowed three runs on three hits with one walk and one strikeout in 2.1 innings.

Inside the Numbers

• Bellevue finished with five runs on eight hits, no errors, and nine left on base; VCSU had six runs on 10 hits, no errors, and 11 left on base.
• The Bruins went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position, while the Vikings finished 3-for-9.
• BU scored all five of its runs in the seventh and eighth innings after VCSU took a 3-0 lead in the fifth.
• McMurtry and Egan each hit solo home runs in the eighth.
• VCSU's six runs came on Banerd's three-run home run, Leroux's RBI double, and Bogenreif's two-run home run.

Top Performers

Bellevue University

• Leslie Egan — 2-for-2, home run, two runs, RBI, two walks
• Daniela Ramirez — 1-for-2, two RBIs, one walk
• Daniela Ramirez — 2.2 IP, two hits, no runs, no earned runs, one walk, no strikeouts
• Breanne McMurtry — 1-for-3, home run, run, RBI, walk
• Marguerite Brown — 1-for-4, RBI

VCSU

• Madden Bogenreif — 2-for-5, home run, run, two RBIs
• Kylee Banerd — 1-for-2, home run, run, three RBIs, two hit by pitches
• Avery Kuklinski — 1-for-1, two runs, three walks, stolen base
• Bailey Leroux — 1-for-1, double, RBI
• Cooper Klaahsen — W, 1.0 IP, two hits, one run, one earned run, one walk, one strikeout

Up Next

Bellevue will face seventh-seeded Mayville State at noon MT on Friday, May 1, in a loser's bracket elimination game at Bravera Field at the Sanford Sports Complex in Dickinson, N.D.