CHICKASHA, Okla. -- Scoring all four runs after the second out was recorded, the No. 24 Bellevue University baseball team out-lasted No. 14 University of Science & Arts in extra innings to take two of three on the weekend and earn a split with the Drovers.
Bellevue improves their record to 5-3 on the year; they are now 2-3 against ranked opposition and 1-0 in extra inning affairs. USAO sees their four-game win streak snapped, dropping to 8-3 overall.
Recap: BU 4, USAO 2 (10 Innings)
In a game largely defined by pitching through the first eight innings, Bellevue struck first, scoring a run in the top of the fourth. With runners on the corners, Josh Vaughan grounded up the middle but beat out the double play ball to chase in Conner Barnett.
Bruin left-hander Charlie Patterson worked 5+ innings, limiting USAO to a pair of unearned runs on four hits while striking out seven and walking five.
The score remained 1-0, until the sixth when the Drovers struck for a pair of runs. After loading the bases with nobody out, reliever Alexandro Celiceo induced a pair of fly ball outs before an error allowed the tying run to score. Celiceo exited in favor of left-hander reliever Blake Crippen. After issuing a walk to Luis Pelayo, Crippen induced an infield pop up to escape further damage.
Crippen (1-1) was nearly unhittable the rest of the way, working 4.1 innings of two-hit ball and striking out five to earn the win in relief.
BU had chances in the seventh and eighth to tie the game, with runners in scoring position in each frame, but were unable to come up with the hit they needed. Sirois flew out to right on a diving catch by Jake Womack and pinch-hitter Cade Sakamoto struck out to end the eighth.
Still leading 2-1, Science & Arts brought in closer Hagen Earls for the ninth. Kanta Kobayashi led off the inning with his second base hit and advanced to second on a sac bunt from Tradd Richardson. A strikeout and hit batter later brought Alex Stufft to the plate. With a full count, and runners moving on the pitch, Stufft laced a single to center to plate Kobayashi with the tying run.
Crippen worked a 1-2-3 ninth to force extras.
In the 10th, Zach Diehl reached on a one-out walk and stole second with two outs to bring Richardson to bat. Richardson roped a double into the left-center gap to score Diehl. With runners at second and third after a hit batter and wild pitch, Mathieu Sirois singled deep in the hole at short to score Brenton Davis with an insurance run.
Crippen worked around allowing a one-out walk and two-out single to induce a Colton Bensch groundout to second to end the game.
Adam Day (0-1) took the loss for the Drovers.
Up Next:
Bellevue is scheduled to Briar Cliff University (0-0) for a three-game series on Friday-Saturday, Feb. 25-26. With winter weather possibly a factor, fans are encouraged to check in with BUBruins.com for the latest news and updates on that series.
