Bruins power past Argos, reach Frontier title game

DICKINSON, N.D. — Bellevue University extended its Frontier Conference Tournament run Saturday, defeating the University of Providence 7-3 in an elimination game at Bravera Field at the Sanford Sports Complex.

The Bruins improved to 25-28 and advanced to Sunday's 1 p.m. championship game against regular-season champion and top-seeded Dickinson State University. UP ended its season at 29-24.

Bellevue has won four straight elimination games since dropping its tournament opener against Valley City State on Thursday. It marks the first time BU has won four elimination games in a conference tournament since the 2002 and 2001 Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournaments, when the Bruins went on to claim the championship both years by defeating the College of Saint Mary.

How It Happened

Bellevue put pressure on UP in the first inning when Kaitlyn Fisher and Mariah Unverzagt opened the game with back-to-back singles, but the Argos escaped the threat with a line-drive double play and a groundout.

The Bruins broke through in the second. Leslie Egan reached on an error, and Miranda Garcia walked before Savannah Short moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. After Egan was thrown out at the plate on Emma Crisman's fielder's choice, Fisher doubled to left field to score Garcia and Crisman for a 2-0 lead.

BU added to the margin in the fourth after Garcia doubled to left field and scored on Fisher's two-out RBI single to right. The Bruins stretched the lead to 4-0 in the fifth when Marguerite Brown doubled, Daniela Ramirez singled, Egan walked, and Garcia drew a bases-loaded walk.

UP got on the board in the bottom of the fifth on Ella Galloway's RBI single, then trimmed the deficit to 4-2 in the sixth. Kasidy Yeoman reached on a bunt single and Tehneson Ehnes followed with a single to center. Carly Bertolini entered in relief, and after a double steal moved both runners up, Erin Bishop brought in Yeoman with an RBI groundout. Bertolini limited the damage with a strikeout and a groundout.

Bellevue answered immediately in the seventh. Breanne McMurtry led off the inning with a solo home run, Unverzagt followed with a double, and Macie Wyman delivered a pinch-hit, two-run homer — the first home run of her collegiate career — to extend the lead to 7-2.

The Argos loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh and scored once on Yeoman's fielder's choice, but Bertolini closed the game with a flyout to center field.

Unverzagt improved to 8-9 after allowing two runs on six hits with no walks and eight strikeouts over five innings. Bertolini earned her fourth consecutive save of the tournament and fifth of the season after allowing one run on two hits with no walks and two strikeouts in two innings. Bertolini moved into a tie for second on BU's single-season saves chart.

Gull took the loss for UP, falling to 2-3 after allowing two runs on three hits with one walk in two innings.

Inside the Numbers

• Bellevue: seven runs on 10 hits, no errors, nine left on base; UP: three runs on eight hits, three errors, six left on base.
• Bellevue went 4-for-16 with runners in scoring position, while UP finished 1-for-9.
• Fisher drove in three of BU's first four runs and finished with three hits.
• Wyman's pinch-hit, two-run homer in the seventh was the first home run of her collegiate career.
• Bellevue pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts and did not issue a walk.

Top Performers

Bellevue University

• Kaitlyn Fisher — 3-for-5, double, 3 RBIs, stolen base
• Mariah Unverzagt — 2-for-5, double, run; 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 K
• Miranda Garcia — 1-for-2, double, 2 runs, 2 walks
• Macie Wyman — 1-for-1, first collegiate home run, 2 RBIs
• Breanne McMurtry — 1-for-4, home run, RBI
• Carly Bertolini — save, 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

University of Providence

• Kasidy Yeoman — 2-for-4, run, RBI, 3 stolen bases
• Tehneson Ehnes — 2-for-4, 3 stolen bases
• Ella Galloway — 2-for-3, run, RBI
• Erin Bishop — 1 RBI

Up Next

Bellevue advances to the Frontier Conference Tournament championship game against regular-season champion and top-seeded Dickinson State University at 1 p.m. Sunday at Bravera Field at the Sanford Sports Complex in Dickinson, N.D. The Bruins would need to defeat Dickinson State twice to claim the tournament championship and the league's automatic berth into the NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round, scheduled for May 11-13 at campus sites.