SIOUX CITY, Iowa -- The ninth-ranked Bellevue University baseball team used a seven-run fourth inning en route to the team's 20th-straight win as the Bruins defeated Briar Cliff University, 10-3, Tuesday afternoon at Bishop Mueller Field.
Beau Dahmen paced the Bruin offense, going 2-for-3, with a home run, three RBIs, and two runs scored. Zack Clark added three hits and an RBI as six Bruins registered multiple hits. Bellevue outhit the Chargers 14-9 in the win.
The game was scoreless until the Bruins exploded for seven runs in the top of the fourth highlighted by a three-run homer by Dahmen and a two-run double by Brian Embery.
Bellevue used an RBI single to center field by Andy Smolinski to increase the lead to 8-0 in the top of the fifth frame. The Chargers got on the board in the bottom of the fifth, trimming the lead to 8-1 following a ground-out RBI by Jeraldo Montejano.
An RBI double by Dusty Kerns in the top of the sixth helped BU regain an eight-run (9-1) advantage.
A bases-loaded walk and a bases-loaded passed ball brought BCU to within six runs at 9-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The Bruins added a run in the top of the ninth with an RBI single by Clark to make the final, 10-3.
Sean McManus earned the win, improving to 3-0 on the season, scattering four hits with four strikeouts and one walk in five innings of work.
The Bruins (26-4-1) will host a crucial four-game conference series with 16th-ranked York College on Friday-Saturday, April 5-6 at Westgate Field. Both games are scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.
