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BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Top-seeded and fifth-ranked Tabor College used two big innings to claim a 9-4 win over Bellevue University in the championship game of the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round (Bellevue Bracket) at Roddy Field Friday afternoon.
Tabor earned a trip to the Avista NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho on May 22-29. Bellevue ends its season at 46-15.
The Bluejays plated four runs in the second and five in the fourth to push past the Bruins, claiming their second-consecutive trip to the NAIA World Series.
A grand slam by Tanner Bell in the top of the second inning gave the Bluejays an early 4-0 advantage.
Bluejay starter Russell Longworth struck out the Bruins' first five batters and did not allow a hit until Bellevue roped three-consecutive singles to left field in the bottom of the third, including a two-run single by Miles Campbell, to cut the deficit to 4-2. Osvaldo Gonzalez also drove in a run in the inning with a sacrifice fly to right field to make it 4-3.
A bases-clearing triple by Michael Baca and a run-scoring single by Gadiel Baez highlighted a five-run fourth inning as Tabor extended the lead to 9-3.
After a 2 1/2 hour rain delay, the game resumed in the bottom of the fourth inning and neither team scored until Ross Feeley's RBI single in the bottom of the seventh drew the Bruins to within five runs at 9-4. That was all the offense the Bruins could muster as Greg Turner allowed just one hit while striking out two over the final two innings in relief.
Longworth earned the win, improving to 11-3 on the season, scattering seven hits with one walk while striking out seven in seven innings of work.
Braulio Torres-Perez (6-5) suffered the loss, surrendering eight runs on six hits with two walks and one strikeout in 3 1/3 innings on the mound. Senior Steve Sarcone, who relieved Torres-Perez in the fourth inning, struck out seven and gave up just one unearned run in 5 2/3 innings.
Notes:
Head coach Duane Monlux has guided the Bruins to five-straight trips to the NAIA National Championship Opening Round in his five seasons as the Bruins' mentor.
Today's game marks the final contest for Bellevue's five seniors: Tyler Blood, Aaron Brasher, Osvaldo Gonzalez, Sean McManus and Steve Sarcone.
