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BELLEVUE, Neb. -- One strike from defeat, sophomore first baseman Todd Nicks launched a three-run homer off of reliever James Ball in the top of the ninth inning to give the Bellevue University baseball team a thrilling 3-2 comeback win over William Woods University Tuesday afternoon in the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round at Don Roddy Field.
Bellevue (45-13) will face the winner between Mayville State University and Tabor College at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday. William Woods will play Madonna University at 11 a.m. on Wednesday in a loser's bracket contest.
The Owls took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI single to left-center field by Dustin Kremer. WWU scored a second run in the bottom of the third on a fielding error by second basemen Ross Feeley, to increase the margin to 2-0.
The Bruins threatened in the top of the eighth when Tyler Blood led off the inning with a double down the left-field line and advanced to third on a flyout to left field by Kevin Rodriguez. WWU got out of the jam when starter John Cavness struck out Trevor Jones and Owl third baseman Austin Clapp caught a rocket line drive from Feeley to end the inning.
Bellevue got singles from Colton Nash and Aaron Brasher in the top of the ninth sandwiched in between a pair of strikeouts from Cavness, before Ball took the mound giving up the three-run bomb by Nicks over the center field fence to give the Bruins a 3-2 lead.
Cody Stewart led off the bottom of the ninth with a triple down the right-field line before Steve Sarcone induced a line out and two strikeouts to preserve the 3-2 victory.
Sarcone did not give up an earned run, striking out 10 and walking just one batter in nine complete innings, improving to 10-1 on the season.
Facing just two batters, Ball suffered the loss, falling to 8-4 on the season.
