Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score | MCAC Standings
OMAHA, Neb. -- The Bellevue University baseball team used strong starting pitching performances by Kody McFarland and Ricky Holm to help the Bruins complete a four-game conference sweep Saturday afternoon at Westgate Field. The 12th-ranked Bruins took the opener 4-1 before winning 5-0 in the series finale.
Bellevue improved to 43-7-1 overall and 21-3 in league action while Ozarks fell to 19-24 and 8-14 in the MCAC.
With the win, Bellevue claimed the conference regular season title and will host the MCAC Tournament on May 1-4 at Westgate Field.
The Bruins will return to action tomorrow (April 28) when they host Briar Cliff University in a single nine-inning nonconference contest at Werner Park at 6:05 p.m. The game will also serve as a fundraiser for cancer research and has been designated as "Striking Out Cancer on Tanner's Day."
Game 1: Bellevue 4, College of the Ozarks 1
McFarland struck out 11 batters and the Bruins outhit Ozarks 9-4 as BU took the first game, 4-1.
The Bobcats took an early 1-0 lead in the third inning on Ricky Vanderpool's RBI double that scored Tyler Lopez from first base.
BU answered in the bottom half of the third on a pair of two-out RBI hits by Nate Mullins and Brian Embery to take a 2-1 advantage.
The Bruins extended their lead on an RBI sacrifice bunt by Andy Smolinski in the seventh before Mullins blasted a solo home run in the eighth inning to give BU the three-run win, 4-1.
McFarland improved to 7-1 on the season, giving up one run and allowing four hits and four walks in seven innings of work. It also marked the third time this year that McFarland has recorded double-digit strikeouts.
Sean Felt pitched two scoreless innings out of the bullpen for his third save of the year.
Joel Harrington (4-6) took the loss for the Bobcats, giving up four runs in 7.1 innings.
Game 2: Bellevue 5, College of the Ozarks 0
Ryan Knutz and Embery each recorded a pair of RBIs and Holm tossed a complete game three-hitter to lead the Bruins to a 5-0 win in the nightcap.
BU struck first on a Knutz two-run double down the left field line in the third inning that scored Devin Ferguson and Beau Dahmen.
The Bruins added three runs on five hits in the sixth inning highlighted by a Tanner Moore RBI single and a two-run home run by Embery for the 5-0 win.
Holm (8-1) notched his eighth win of the season and added nine strikeouts, without giving up a walk.
Jason Myers fell to 3-3 on the year, allowing five runs on seven hits for Ozarks.
