OMAHA, Neb. -- Andrew Ishii, Tradd Richardson, and Alex Stufft each went deep to power the Bellevue University baseball team's comeback 10-5 win over Morningside University.
In avenging an earlier season loss to the Mustangs, Bellevue splits the season series while improving to 30-8 overall and remaining perfect at home, improving to 15-0 at John Stella Field at Brown Park. Morningside fell to 20-12 with the loss.
Despite scoring first on a ground ball double play, Bellevue trailed 5-1 in the third inning. Hunter Jenkins hit an opposite field grand slam and Eddie Brancato hit a solo shot down the left field line that snuck inside the foul pole.
After Bruin starter Charlie Patterson was lifted after the second, the BU bullpen turned in seven innings of four-hit ball allowing just one run.
Nate Smith (1-0) earned the win with 3.2 scoreless frames before coming out with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth. Bailey Link struck out the lone batter he faced on three pitches to earn his third save.
Andrew Ishii and Tradd Richardson went back-to-back in the fourth to cut the deficit to one run.
The Bruins tied the game in the sixth when Tradd Richardson laid down a bunt with Ishii on second. The throw to first led to a collision with Ishii coming around to score while Brancato lay on the ground.
Alex Stufft put BU ahead, 6-5, with a line drive home run in the seventh.
Jenkins led off the eighth with a base hit, advanced to second on a sac bunt, and took third on a ground ball. After Smith bounced a ball of Richardson's chest protector, Jenkins came racing home but a diving Richardson beat him to the plate and applied a tag to end the inning with Bellevue still ahead by a run.
Still ahead by a run, the Bruins loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth for Brenton Davis who doubled to the center field wall scoring all three runners. Stufft followed with an RBI-single of his own to chase in Davis.
Morningside relieve Will Brandner (2-1) was charged with allowing six runs – five earned – on eight hits and three walks to take the loss.
Bellevue hosts Presentation this weekend for a four-game NSAA series with first pitch set for 1 p.m. on Friday and noon on Saturday.
