ABERDEEN, S.D. -- The Bellevue University softball team scored in each of the first three innings en route to an 8-2 victory over York College Sunday morning in non-conference action at the Presentation College Dome.
With the win, the Bruins improved to 4-3 on the season. The contest was York's first game of the 2021 season, dropping the Panthers to 0-1 overall.
BU outhit the Panthers, 12-9, led by Allison O'Driscoll's 4-for-5 effort at the plate. Maricela Egan finished 1-for-2 and drove in three runs in the victory.
The Bruins got out of the gate quickly, scoring five runs on three hits in the top of the first, highlighted by a three-run triple to right-center field by Egan. BU also plated a pair of runs following a throwing error by York starting pitcher Briana Walter.
Kelsey Arnold led off the top of the second with a homer to left field to extend the BU advantage to 6-0.
Lauren Jurek got out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the second, by striking out Kieyerah Twombly and Breianna Cortez, to keep the score at 6-0.
An RBI single up the middle by O'Driscoll extended the lead to 7-0 in the top of the third.
Walter scored on a fielder's choice RBI by Twombly to cut the deficit to 7-1 in the bottom of the fourth.
The Bruins made it 8-1 in the top of the sixth on an RBI single to center field by Madison Machacek that scored Emily Mendick.
York scored on a throwing error by BU second baseman Katlyn Kinman to draw to within six runs at 8-2 in the bottom of the sixth.
York threatened in the bottom of the seventh with runners on the corners and no outs, forcing Jurek to be replaced by freshman Savannah Gunn. Gunn induced a popup and two groundouts to preserve the 8-2 BU victory.
Jurek (2-1) earned her second win of the season, allowing nine hits with one walk and eight strikeouts in six innings of work.
Walter (0-1) suffered the loss, scattering seven hits and five walks with one strikeout in 3.1 innings in the circle.
The Bruins will continue action in Aberdeen on Monday, Feb. 22, when they take on Doane University in a 9:30 a.m. doubleheader in the Presentation College Dome.
