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NAIA Opening Round Schedule/Results
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OMAHA, Neb. -- Concordia University hit three home runs in a four-run eighth to erase a two-run deficit as the Bulldogs defeated the Bellevue University baseball team 7-5 to win the NAIA Opening Round – Bellevue Bracket at John Stella Field at Brown Park.
The Bulldogs improve to 42-10 as they qualify for their first-ever Avista NAIA World Series.
Bellevue concludes the 2021 season with an overall record of 41-18.
The Bruins used the long ball early as they built a 4-1 lead in support of Corey Jackson who started on just two days' rest.
Daniel Teasley opened the scoring in the top of the second inning with a sac fly before a Zach Diehl two-run home run.
After Keaton Candor doubled in a run in the third, Riley Baasch responded with a solo homer in the fourth.
The Bruins nearly took a three-run lead into the seventh but Jakob Faulk watched a 1-2 pitch at the knees for a ball before driving a two-run shot to right center, just out of reach of Conner Barnett who went crashing into the fence trying to make a play.
Jackson produced six solid innings on the hill striking out 10 batters and, after a Riley Baasch RBI-single in the seventh, exited with a 5-3 lead.
Candor started the eighth inning rally with a leadoff home run. Three batters later, Faulk gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the game with a two-run shot and Teyt Johnson made it back-to-back shots with a homer to right.
Five CUNE relievers combined to limit the Bruins to just one run on six hits over the final 5.2 innings of play. Nathan Buckallew (4-0) picked up the win, retiring all four batters he faced to end the game.
Alex Celiceo (6-1) suffered his first loss of the season in relief, as he faced the Concordia lineup for the third-straight day.
