DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The 12th-ranked Bellevue University baseball team used a five-run third inning and the stellar pitching of Braulio Torres-Perez to earn a 5-1 victory over Cumberland (Tenn.) University Sunday night on the campus of Embry-Riddle University.
Bellevue pounded out 15 hits, but left 11 men on base in the contest. The Phoenix managed 11 hits and left 10 on base.
Torres-Perez struck out six and walked just one and did not allow an earned run in 8.2 innings on the mound. He improved to 3-0 on the season with the victory.
The Bruins scored five runs in the top of the third inning, highlighted by a two-run single by Colton Nash and an RBI single by Jake Browne. BU also scored a pair of runs off wild pitches by Phoenix starter Mike Melendez.
CU avoided the shutout in the bottom of the sixth, scoring on a fielding error by Nash, to slice the lead to 5-1.
Kevin Rodriguez earned the save, forcing a ground out in the only batter he faced in the bottom of the ninth.
Melendez (2-3) suffered the loss, scattering 12 hits with six strikeouts, four walks and three wild pitches in 5.2 innings of work.
The Bruins will travel to Lakeland, Fla., on Monday, March 7 for a 6 p.m. contest at Southeastern (Fla.) University.