AUBURNDALE, Fla. -- No. 8-ranked St. Thomas University used five-spots in the second and fifth innings en route to a 12-6 win over the No. 5-ranked Bellevue University baseball team to open a three-game series on Saturday evening.
Bellevue sees their modest three-game win streak halted, falling to 7-3 while St. Thomas improves to 9-7.
Brendan Luther and Alec Ackerman each finished 2-for-4 in the game, accounting for four of BU's seven base hits, all of which were singles. Kanta Kobayashi, Conner Barnett, and Logan Grant each recorded knocks.
After finding themselves in a 5-0 hole headed to the bottom of the second, the Bruins battled back to tie the game.
Grant cut a four-run deficit in half with a two-run single in the third and Barnett singled home Luther in the fourth before Ackerman tied the game on a successful double steal later in the frame.
The lead did not last as St. Thomas responded with another five-run inning highlighted by a two-run home run from Kevin Moreno.
Alexandro Celiceo (3-1) took his first loss of the year after being tagged for 10 runs (five earned) on eight hits and issuing four walks in 4.2 innings.
The Bobcats tacked on two more in the sixth, courtesy of a pair of wild pitches.
Luther singled in Kobayashi in the eight to account for the final margin.
Yordani Carmona (3-2) earned the win with 3.1 innings of relief work. The St. Thomas bullpen teamed up for 6.1 innings of work allowing a pair of runs on six hits and struck out 10 Bruin hitters.
Jacob Pubill and Zane Leyden combined for 3.2 innings of one-hit relief to close out the game for BU.
The Bruins and Bobcats are back at it tomorrow with a 2:30 p.m. start from Lake Myrtle Park.
