Langston Box Score
Cottey Box Score

NEVADA, Mo. -- After posting a convincing 10-2 win over Langston University in the opener, the Bellevue University softball team squandered a 4-0 lead before falling to host Cottey College, 5-4, in the nightcap Saturday afternoon at the Cottey College Tournament. 

Bellevue moved to 7-6 on the season with the split. Langston is 0-6 overall and Cottey is now 6-0.  

The Bruins will head to Kissimmee, Fla. on Mar. 7-12 to compete in The Spring Games. BU is scheduled to play 10 games in Florida before returning on Mar. 15 for its home debut against Dickinson State in a 3 p.m. doubleheader. 

Bellevue 10, Langston 2 (5 innings)

Katlyn Kinman went 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs to pace the Bruin offense in the 10-2 win over Langston. BU outhit the Lions, 11-4, as seven Bruins recorded at least one hit in the victory. 

After scoring a run in the bottom of the first on a bases-loaded fielder's choice, the Bruins exploded for seven runs in the second to take a commanding 8-0 lead after two innings. Kinman and Ellie Bliemeister both launched two-run homers in the inning. 

The Bruins made it 10-0 in the bottom of the third on Kinman's RBI single to left field and off a Lion fielding error. 

Langston avoided the shutout, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the fifth on ground-out RBIs.

Lauren Jurek (4-2) earned the win, allowing just three hits with no walks and four strikeouts in four innings of work.  

Cottey 5, Bellevue 4 (8 innings)

The Comets overcame a 4-0 deficit, storming back to tie the game at 4-4, on the strength of three home runs. Cottey won the game in the bottom of the eighth on a bases-loaded bunt squeeze play to pull out the dramatic 5-4 win. 

Lauren Russell went 2-for-2 with a double, a home run, and all four RBIs to lead the BU offense. 

Russell's RBI double to deep right-center field scored Bliemeister and Madison Machacek to give BU a 2-0 lead in the top of the second. 

Russell made it 4-0 in the top of the fourth with a two-run homer over the center-field fence on a 2-2 count. It marked her fourth home run of the weekend. 

Caitlyn Morgan led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo homer to left and a two-run homer by Karina Ramirez later in the inning, cut the deficit to 4-3. 

The Comets tied the game in the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run to left by Skylar Chappell, forcing extra innings. 

After the Bruins were unable to score in the top of the eighth, Cottey loaded the bases and scored on Kristen Hurst's squeeze bunt that plated Ramirez from third to give the Comets the dramatic 5-4 win. 

Jurek (4-3) was tagged with the loss, giving up one run on two hits with two walks and three strikeouts in two innings of relief.