OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- Behind a strong pitching performance from Braulio Torres-Perez and some well-executed fundamentals the No. 12 Bellevue University baseball team staved off a comeback attempt by Oklahoma City to secure a 6-5 victory in eight innings on Saturday evening in non-conference action.
With the victory Bellevue improves to 2-1 on the young season while Oklahoma City drops to 3-6 with the loss.
Torres-Perez twirled 5.2 innings of no-hit ball before surrendering a two-out double to Dylan Delso. His final line for the day read: 6 innings, three runs allowed on four hits, three walks, and seven strikeouts.
A two-run double down the left field line by Trevor Jones and an RBI single to center field by Elijah Dickerson gave the Bruins an early 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning.
The Bruins extended the lead to 4-0 in the top of the fifth on an RBI single to left field by Colton Nash.
Oklahoma City got on the board in the bottom half of the sixth. Cory Linn drove home Delso on an RBI-double down the right field line. Garrett Foster followed with a single to put runners on the corners with two outs. That allowed Jared Baker to double to left center to chase in two runs as the Stars cut the deficit to 4-3. Torres-Perez escaped further damage by striking out pinch-hitter J.J. Bissell to end the inning.
The Bruins tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Connor Garrison scored on a wild pitch.
Leland Tilley came on to try and close the game out in the seventh striking out a pair and issuing a walk to the first three batters he faced before consecutive base-runners allowed the Stars to put the winning run on. Linn then singled to knock in a pair and force extras.
Bellevue took the lead in the eighth on a squeeze play executed by Matt Evans and Ross Feeley. With runners at the corners Feeley laid down a bunt to the pitch that was placed well enough to score Evans from third.
Tilley (1-0) was able to bounce back and work a scoreless ninth to pick up the victory in relief, stranding the tying run at third.
OKCU starter Skylar Janisse worked 6.2 innings, surrendering all five runs (four earned) on 10 hits and three walks while striking out four. Holden Lyons (0-1) was charged with the loss for the Stars, surrendering a run on two hits in the eighth.
The Bruins will travel to Hillsboro, Kan. next Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 20-21, for a three-game road series at No. 4-ranked Tabor College.