OMAHA, Neb. -- Bruin pitching limited Waldorf to just two runs in Sunday's double-header as the Bellevue University baseball team picked up a sweep with 9-1 and 2-1 victories over the Warriors at John Stella Field at Brown Park.
With the victory, Bellevue improves to 34-14 (15-5 NSAA) to secure their second-straight NSAA regular-season title and fourth overall. Waldorf falls to 20-28 (13-14 NSAA) on the year.
Between games, Bellevue honored 11 seniors – Riley Baasch, Cody Banks, Derek Browne, Graham Cahill, Grant Guse, Corey Jackson, Alec Lee, Chaz Lopez, Nic Metcalf, Daniel Teasley, Colton Walker – for their contributions to the program.
Game One: BU 9, Waldorf 1
Bellevue left eight runners on base through four scoreless innings, and overcame leaving 15 runners aboard in the game, before finally breaking through with a pair of fifth inning runs.
Nik Dodson pitched into and out of trouble through four innings, loading the bases in three-straight frames before his luck finally ran out.
Riley Baasch reached on an error to open the inning before coming in to score on a Josh Vaughan triple to the center field fence. Vaughan came in to score one batter later on a sac fly off the bat of Chaz Lopez.
Waldorf and BU traded runs in the sixth before the Bruins broke the game open with a four-run seventh. Payton Higgins was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Conner Barnett drew a bases loaded walk before Cody Banks chased in a pair of runs with a single through the left side.
The Bruins tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the eighth.
Charlie Patterson kept Waldorf off-balance with 5.2 innings of two-hit ball. He allowed just one run while striking out five as he improved to 7-1 on the year.
Dodson (4-6) took the loss for Waldorf. He allowed 10 hits and issued three walks but limited the damage, allowing just three Bellevue runs over six innings.
Game Two: BU 2, Waldorf 1
McGrane Pledger (4-2) fired a complete game victory, striking out 10 while allowing just one run on six hits to out-duel Waldorf right-hander Sam Jones.
Waldorf opened the scoring with some small ball in the first. Alejandro Gonzalez singled through the left side, stole second, and took third on a wild pitch before scoring on Thomas Capllonch's ground out.
Bellevue tied things in the home half of the second. Daniel Teasley reached on a one-out single and stole second before Zach Diehl's base knock to center plated him.
Waldorf had an opportunity to re-take the lead in the fourth. With runners on the corners and nobody out, TarQuin Daley hit a slow roller that was initially ruled fair and as Waldorf stopped playing, BU turned a double play. After a brief discussion with Waldorf head coach Joe Tautges, the umpires reversed their decision and called a foul ball. Pledger worked his way out of that jam by striking Daley out and inducing a pair of foul outs.
BU took the lead in the sixth without the benefit of a hit. Brenton Davis drew a leadoff walk, took second on a sac bunt by Payton Higgins and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Following an unsuccessful squeeze play with Conner Barnett, Davis came home when Barnett struck out but catcher Justin Nock's throw to first sailed into right field.
Nock led off the sixth with a double to right-center and took third on a wild pitch with one out. With TarQuin Daley batting, Daley smashed a ground ball at Josh Vaughan who cut down the tying run at the plate to keep Bellevue in front.
Jones was the tough-luck loser for Waldorf despite giving up just three hits. Jones struck out three and allowed just one earned run but fell to 2-4 on the year.
Up Next:
Bellevue travels to Valley City, N.D. for the North Star Tournament slated for May 7-10 at VCSU's Charlie Brown Field. The bracket, including game times and match-ups, will be announced by the NSAA office later Sunday evening.
