OMAHA, Neb. -- Trevor Jones delivered a walk-off single to give Leland Tilley his second win of the afternoon as the fifth-ranked Bellevue University baseball team defeated Clarke University 5-4 in the second game of their home-opening double-header.
For the second game in a row Bellevue won on a walk-off. This time it was Trevor Jones delivering a two-out single to center to plate Todd Nicks from second. Nicks reached on a one-out walk and advanced to second on a sac bunt by Kevin Rodriguez before Jones fisted an inside pitch to shallow center field.
Game two started off as a pitcher's duel much as was seen in game one as neither team broke through until the third inning. As it was in game one, it was the Crusaders who struck first. After fouling off a pitch Stephan Zanoni doubled of the left field fence to drive in Stanley Gawelko with the game's first run.
Clarke doubled up on their advantage when Jacob Blunt singled on a hit-and-run to score Eric Bueno from second. Bueno had doubled one batter prior.
Bellevue got a run back in the bottom of the fourth. With runners on second and third Gabriel De La Rosa grounded out to short which was enough to bring the run in, cutting the lead to 2-1.
The Bruins took their first lead of the game an inning later. A two-out double off the left field fence by Derik Bontempo that scored Ross Feeley to tie things up at 2-2. Jake Brown followed that up with a single through the hole on the left side to score Colton Nash and Bontempo giving BU a 4-2 advantage.
Eric Bueno pulled Clarke even in the sixth with a two-run home run, his second of the season, over the left field fence.
BU threatened in the seventh, putting a pair of runners on with two outs but Clarke was able to escape the minor jam, paving the way for extra innings.
Southpaw Braulio Torres-Perez tossed 5.2 innings in the start. He allowed four runs on nine hits and struck out five before being lifted for Tilley. Tilley (5-0, 1.15) picked up the win with 2.1 scoreless innings of relief work.
Anthony Ruden (2-2) took the loss for Clarke. He went the distance, allowing five runs on nine hits, four walks, and struck out five.
The Bruins are back in action on Tuesday, Mar. 22 when they travel to Briar Cliff for a 3 p.m. non-conference tilt. BU opens their conference slate on Friday, Mar. 25 with a 1 p.m. twin-bill at Westgate Field against Dickinson State. The two teams will play another double-header on Saturday, Mar. 26 at noon at Roddy Field on the campus of Bellevue East High School.
