OMAHA, Neb. -- Lauren Jurek was a bunt single away from a no-hitter in the opener and the Bruins pounded out 12 hits in the nightcap as the Bellevue University softball team defeated Dickinson State University twice on Saturday to open a four-game series.
Bellevue improves to 25-16 and 11-5 in NSAA play with the victories while Dickinson State slips to 21-11 on the year and 10-6 in conference action.
Game One: BU 3, DiSU 0
Ellie Bliemeister supplied all the offense with her three-run home run in the fifth inning to back a phenomenal performance by Bruin hurler Lauren Jurek.
Both pitchers were cruising into the fifth inning with just one Bruin runner reaching scoring position to that point. With two outs and a runner aboard, Kelsey Arnold dropped a single into left to turn the BU lineup over for Bliemeister who drove a majestic fly ball long past the fence in left-center for a three-run bomb, her seventh of the year.
Jurek struck out the first six batters she faced en route to a career-high 14-strikeout performance. She carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning but that was broken up when Katelyn Kubitschek laid down a bunt and beat the throw to first for DiSU's only hit of the game.
After the Kubitschek single, Jurek (13-7) struck out three of the final four batters she faced to finish off the shutout victory.
Jaya Allen (5-4) made just the one bad pitch on the home run ball in the loss. She struck out four and scattered just five hits.
Game Two: BU 10, DiSU 2 (6 Innings)
Maricela Egan went deep twice as Bellevue launched four home runs as a team to support a six-hit performance in the circle by right-hander Cory Carrillo.
The Blue Hawks scored twice in the top of the first. After two quick outs, Jaya Allen singled ahead of back-to-back doubles from Hailey Enriquez and Dallis Mitchell but that was all Dickinson would manage against Carillo who allowed just three hits the rest of the way as she improved to 4-0 on the year.
BU responded quickly with a run in the home half of the first courtesy of a two-out single from Allison O'Driscoll that brought home Egan.
The Bruins took the lead in the third on Egan's first home run of the day, a two-run shot to center field. Emily Rochford added a two-run shot of her own later in the frame to make it 5-2 in favor of Bellevue.
Egan homered again an inning later, this time a three-run shot, to up the lead to 8-2.
Ashley Young launched a solo shot with one out in the sixth and Rochford drew a bases loaded walk to invoke the eight-run rule victory.
Madeline Peralta took the loss for the Blue Hawks, falling to 6-2 on the year. She allowed seven runs (two earned) on five hits in two innings of relief work.
Up Next:
The Bruins and Blue Hawks close out their series with a double-header on Sunday beginning at noon.
