BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Colten Barnes threw seven strong innings without allowing an earned run and the No. 8 Bellevue University used a four-run third inning to create separation on their way to picking up a 9-2 non-conference victory over visiting Doane University on Tuesday afternoon at Roddy Field.
Bellevue has now won 12 games in a row to improve their overall record to 19-6 on the year while the loss was the second-straight for the Tigers who drop to 9-12 on the season.
Following five straight outs to open the game, Bellevue got on the board with a two-out rally in the second. Joe Moran reached on a bunt base hit and scored a batter later on a Lumus Russell double to right-center.
BU broke the game open in the third inning by putting a four-spot on the board. Riley Baasch earned a bases loaded walk ahead of Todd Nicks' bases clearing double off the left field fence to put BU up 5-0.
Brandon Mataisz put the Tigers on the board in the fifth inning with a two-out double down the left field line.
The Bruins added two runs in the fifth on a Derik Bontempo home run and a sac fly from Russell.
They tacked on another on a Jake Browne homer leading off the sixth to push their lead to 8-1 and capped the scoring when Bontempo was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the seventh.
Jake Smith homered to left field in the eighth to account for Doane's other run.
Following four starts in which he failed to last beyond the fifth inning, Barnes (W, 2-2) turned in his best performance since his start against USAO back on Feb. 12. The junior southpaw turned in seven innings of two-hit ball for the Bruins and picked up his second win of the year. He yielded just one unearned run and struck out four against two walks.
Anthony Contonio and Dylan Thorp each threw an inning in relief to preserve the victory.
James Ramos (L, 2-3) was tagged with the loss for Doane after conceding five runs on three hits, a walk, and a hit batter in just 2.1 innings. The Tiger bullpen was active in the loss with four other hurlers seeing action. The 'pen combined to allow three earned runs (four total) on seven hits in 5.2 innings.
Bellevue returns to the field this weekend when they host the University of Winnipeg for a four-game set to open their North Star schedule. The Bruins and Wesmen are schedule for a 1 p.m. double-header on Saturday at Westgate Field and a noon twin-bill on Sunday at Roddy Field.
