Box Score | Tournament Website
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Bellevue University softball team scored three runs in the fifth and added another five in the sixth inning to post a 9-2 win over 17th-ranked Freed-Hardeman University Tuesday night in the NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round at Ann Lacy Stadium.
Bellevue (41-10) will play fourth-ranked Oklahoma City University (49-12) in the championship game tomorrow (May 15) at noon. The Bruins will need to defeat OCU twice to advance to the NAIA Softball National Championship final site on May 24-30 in Columbus, Ga.
Freed-Hardeman ended its season with an overall record of 32-9.
The Lions struck first with a two-out RBI single by Amber Vansandt in the top of the first inning.
BU answered back in the second inning on Katie Malloy's two-out double that scored Taylor Anderson who also doubled in the inning to tie the contest at 1-1.
FHU regained the lead in the fourth on Bailey Morgan's solo home run to center field off BU starter Taylor Mohler.
The Bruins once again responded with a two-out hit. After Katie Tew singled and Alyssa Matoba walked, Amanda Neumann blasted her team-leading 17th home run of the season to give BU its first lead of the game, 4-2, in the fifth.
BU scored five runs on three hits and took advange of a FHU throwing error to take a 9-2 edge after six complete innings. Tew and Kelsie Bridgeford each registered two-run singles in the frame.
Shelby Kindelin earned the win in relief, improving to 15-4 on the season while Neumann notched her first save of the year.
Sarah Elizabeth Cousar (27-5) suffered the loss for the Lions, allowing nine runs on seven hits.
Note: The Opening Round consists of 10 four-team double-elimination tournaments across the country with the 10 winners competing in the NAIA Softball National Championship final site on May 24-30 in Columbus, Ga. This is the first season the NAIA has used the Opening Round format for softball.
Box Score | Tournament Website | Live Video
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- Top-seeded Oklahoma City University belted three home runs en route to a 7-2 win over Bellevue University at the NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round Tuesday at Ann Lacy Stadium.
Bellevue (40-10) will play at 6 p.m. tonight in a loser's bracket game againt the winner of the 3 p.m. contest between Freed-Hardeman University and Hastings College. The fourth-ranked Stars (49-12) advanced to the championship game at noon on Wednesday (May 15).
