YORK, Neb. -- The Bellevue University softball team totaled 26 hits on the day as the Bruins swept York College in a Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference double-header on Thursday afternoon. Bellevue scored a 12-3 victory in the opener before claiming a 5-1 triumph in the nightcap.
The victories extend Bellevue's winning streak to six while the Bruins improve to 21-8-1 overall and 6-0 in MCAC play. York dips to 4-19 (2-4 MCAC) with the losses.
Game One: Bellevue 12, York 3
Bellevue sent 12 batters to the plate in the top of the first on their way to setting the tone for the game, scoring eight runs on as many hits en route to a 12-3 victory.
Junior Kendall Hendrix highlighted the opening inning with her first career home run, a three-run shot to right. Senior Ashley Gigax capped the offensive outburst with a single up the middle to plate classmate Shelby Kindelin.
The score remained 8-0 in favor of the visitors until home-standing York struck for three runs of their own in the bottom of the third. After getting two quick outs, five York batters reached in a row which included a two-run double by Molly Reyes and a run-scoring single by Chelsea Holland.
The Bruins added four insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Ashley Gigax wrapped up the scoring with a two-run home run the other way. It was her team-leading 11th long ball of the year. She became one of three players - along with Kindelin and Hendrix – to drive in three runs on the game. All nine Bellevue starters and 11 players in total recorded at least one hit for the day.
Sophomore Kelli Fisher went the distance in the circle for the Bruins to record the win and improve to 10-2 on the year. Fisher allowed three earned runs on seven hits while striking out four in her 10th complete game effort of the season.
Game Two: Bellevue 5, York 1
Senior Taylor Mohler struck out 13 while limiting the Panthers to just one run on two hits as Bellevue swept York with a 5-1 victory in game two on Thursday. Mohler improves to 11-6 with the victory.
The Bruins jumped on the board first with a run in the fourth inning when sophomore Courtney Schendt drove a solo home run, her third, over the center field fence.
Bellevue added another run in the fifth when Shelby Kindelin homered to right to double the BU advantage to 2-0. The home run was the second of the season for Kindelin.
Morgan Derengowski cut the Panther deficit in half with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth to make it 2-1.
The Bruins added insurance in the seventh courtesy of a run-scoring double by Kindelin and a two-run double by Alex Tooley.
Bellevue will return to play on Tuesday, April 7 when they host Waldorf College for a 2:00 p.m. double-header at Hall of Fame Fields.
