Tournament Website
Tournament Stats
VALLEY CITY, N.D. -- The solid pitching effort of Monique Ashley and timely hitting helped the Bellevue University softball team secure a 3-0 victory over Dakota State University in the Bruins' opening game of the 2019 North Star Athletic Association Tournament at Tharaldson Field Thursday morning.
The Bruins (42-16) will now face the winner between Viterbo University and Mayville State University at 4 p.m. today. Bellevue extended its winning streak to 12 games with the victory. Dakota State, which stranded nine baserunners and outhit the Bruins 6-4, fell to 9-34 on the season and will face the loser between VU and MSU in an elimination game at 4 p.m. today.
After a scoreless first two innings, a two-out double by Ashlyn Teran followed by a two-run homer to center field by Erin Sharpe gave the Bruins a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning. It marked Sharpe's league-leading 25th home run of the season.
An RBI single to left field by Grace Glotfelty increased the lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth.
Ashley got out of a jam in the top of the sixth when the Trojans had runners on second an third with no outs. She induced a ground out and a pop up before ending the threat with her fifth strikeout of the game.
Ashley improved to 17-7 on the season, scattering six hits with one walk and six strikeouts in seven complete innings of work. The shutout was her fourth of the season.
