FORT WORTH, Texas -- The Bellevue University softball team opened the 2019 season with a pair of wins Friday at the Cowtown Classic in Fort Worth, Texas. BU opened the day with a 6-0 shutout victory over Southwestern Assemblies of God, before securing a 7-4 win over former conference rival Central Baptist College, 7-4.
The Bruins (2-0) will close out play in the Cowtown Classic on Saturday with a 10 a.m. contest against Oklahoma Wesleyan and a noon tilt matchup with William Woods.
Bellevue 6, Southwestern Assemblies of God 0
The Bruins erupted for five runs in the third inning and Monique Ashley tossed a two-hit shutout as BU cruised to the 6-0 win over SAGU in the tournament opener.
Ashley struck out eight batters and did not allow a walk or an extra-base hit in the victory.
Offensively, Ellie Bliemeister went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. Ashley Young finished 2-for-4 with a double and a pair of RBIs. Ashlyn Teran and Kayla Young also drove in runs in the victory.
Bliemeister scored the first runs of the season with a two-run homer in the top of the third. Teran's RBI single and Ashley Young's two-run double made it 5-0 in the third frame. The Bruins added an insurance run with an RBI single by Kayla Young in the top of the sixth.
Bellevue 7, Central Baptist 4
BU got out of the gates quickly, scoring four first-inning runs before securing a 7-4 victory over Central Baptist in the nightcap.
Ashley, who replaced starter Brieanna Brock in the fourth inning, earned her second victory of the day, giving up just one hit and no runs while striking out two in the final 3 2/3 innings of play.
Grace Glotfelty, Kaitlyn Kinman, and Teran all had multiple hits in the contest. Kelsey Arnold drove in a pair of runs, while Ashley Young picked up a double and an RBI.
The Bruins outhit the Mustangs 10-5 in the victory, while hitting .346 on the day.
