Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
ABERDEEN, S.D. -- After dropping a hard-fought 3-2 decision in the opener, the Bellevue University softball team stormed back with a convincing, 10-2, win in the nightcap against Doane University Monday in non-conference action at the Presentation College Dome.
With the split, the Bruins moved to 5-4 on the season. Doane is now 4-2 overall.
The Bruins return to action this Friday-Saturday, Feb. 26-27, when they travel to Nevada, Mo. for games each day against Cottey College and Langston University.
Game 1: Doane 3, Bellevue 2
Despite outhitting the Tigers, 7-4, a fielding error proved costly as the Bruins registered a 3-2 loss to Doane in the opener.
Ashley Young and Ellie Bliemeister each recorded a pair of hits and Emily Rochford drove in both BU runs in the loss.
Neither team scored until the Tigers erupted for three runs in the bottom of the fifth, highlighted by an RBI double to center field by Jade Hill that scored Alicia Vint. Doane scored two runs on a bases-loaded fielding error by BU right fielder Ashley Young.
The Bruins responded in the top of the sixth with a two-run homer to left-center field by Rochford, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
Josie Schnakenberg retired the side in the top of the seventh to preserve the 3-2 victory for the Tigers. Schnakenberg improved to 2-1 on the season, allowing seven hits with no walks and seven strikeouts in seven innings in the circle.
Savannah Gunn (0-2) suffered the loss, scattering four hits and three walks with eight strikeouts in six innings in the circle. She allowed just one earned run in the loss.
Game 2: Bellevue 10, Doane 2
The BU bats came alive as the Bruins produced 14 hits en route to the 10-2 victory in the nightcap. Five Bruins collected multiple hits in the victory. Katlyn Kinman and Maricela Egan both went 3-for-5. Kinman, Egan, and Allison O'Driscoll each drove in two runs.
The Bruins scored a pair of runs in the top of the first, sparked by an RBI single to center by O'Driscoll that scored Kinman from third. O'Driscoll later scored on a wild pitch by DC starting pitcher Shelby Downard, to make it 2-0.
O'Driscoll drove in Kinman again in the top of the second on an RBI single to right-center field and a two-run single up the middle by Egan made it 5-0 later in the inning.
The Bruins extended the lead to 8-0 in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly to center by Rochford and a two-run homer to left field by Bliemeister.
The Tigers avoided the shutout with a two-run homer to right field by Jadyn Hunt in the bottom of the fifth inning.
A two-run homer to center field by Kinman pushed the BU advantage to 10-2 in the top of the seventh frame.
Lauren Jurek earned the win, improving to 3-1 on the season. She allowed five hits and three walks with 10 strikeouts in 7 innings in the circle.
Downard was tagged with the loss after giving up seven runs on eight hits with four walks and four strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work.
