LAKE WALES, Fla. -- In a game called after seven innings due to darkness the Bellevue University baseball team came out on top, 9-8, against Warner University on Tuesday afternoon in non-conference action at Royals Field. The game was called after seven innings due to darkness.
Bellevue snapped a five-game losing streak to improve to 4-8 overall while Warner, who had won three of their previous four, dropped to 13-8 on the year.
Warner got on the board first when Junior Fermin singled in Cole Parks and Jesse Haney popped a solo home run in the home half of the first.
Bellevue immediately got a run back on an RBI-single off the bat of Stuart Eurich (2-3, 3 RBI run) in the second.
A four-run third inning, capped by a two-run single from Eurich, put BU ahead 5-2. The Bruins added two more runs in the fifth on an RBI-double from Blake Macdonald (1-3, 2B, RBI, run) before scoring on an error later in the inning.
A run-scoring triple from Parks and a sac fly by Rio Russell pulled the Royals back to within three in the bottom of the fifth.
BU added a run in each the sixth and seventh inning and Warner countering with two runs in each frame. Following a balk to make it 9-8 Derek Deler singled to put the tying run aboard for the Royals but he was left stranded when Max Dwyer struck out Kevin Troncoso, the only batter he faced to end the game, and pick up his second save of the year.
Jarred Molnaa (1-0), making his first start for the Bruins, picked up the win with five solid innings on the hill. He allowed three earned runs (four total) on six hits and three walks while also striking out three.
Tristan Starling (0-1) suffered the loss for Warner after surrendering five runs in just 2.2 innings of work. The Warner bullpen combined to throw 4.1 innings allowing just one earned run (three total) on three hits but did walk six.
Bellevue has Wednesday off before returning to the diamond for two games in the Warner Classic on Thursday, Mar. 8. The Bruins will take on Lawrence Tech. at 8 a.m. and Spring Arbor at 11:30 a.m.