OMAHA, Neb. -- After battling back to win the opener in extra innings, the No. 9-ranked Bellevue University baseball team cruised to a comfortable victory in game two as the Bruins kicked off their four-game North Star Athletic Association series against Valley City State University with a pair of victories on Friday afternoon.

The Bruins won the opener by a count of 5-4 in 10 innings and followed up with an 11-2 victory in the nightcap.

Bellevue improves to 19-4 overall and 6-0 in league play on the strength of their 12^th-straight victory. Valley City slides to 5-17 overall and 1-5 in NSAA action.

Game One: BU 5, VCSU 4 (10 Innings)

Jake Lacey forced extra-innings with a solo shot in the ninth and Eric Anderson delivered a pinch-hit blast in the 10^th to rally Bellevue from a 4-3 deficit to a 5-4 win over Valley City.

The Vikings opened the scoring with a pair of second inning runs off Bruin starter Alexandro Celiceo as Dustin Mertz homered and Tory Nelson singled in another run.

Bellevue struggled to solve Hunter Magnuson, not collecting a hit until Drew Staley doubled off the left-center fence to score Nick Grade in the fifth.

A ground ball from Tradd Richardson tied the game in the sixth and Brendan Luther put the Bruins in front with a squeeze play to score Staley in the seventh.

Parker McMan came on to begin the seventh, replacing Celiceo who exited with a 3-2 lead.

Shane Nixon greeted McMan with a single through the left side and two batters later Adam Thompson ripped a two-run home run to left putting the Vikings back in front.

Bellevue threatened in the eighth, putting runners on first and second with one out, but were unable to break through.

Mertz hit a fly ball in the 10^th that was lost in the sun for a double but McMan worked out of trouble getting Jett Salonek to ground out and striking out Christian Ramirez to end the game.

McMan (3-0) took the victory in relief. He worked four innings, struck out four, and allowed two runs on three hits.

Mertz (1-3) suffered the loss for VCSU.

Game Two: BU 11, VCSU 2

Nick Grade homered twice and drove in five runs and Jake Lacey also went yard for the Bruins in a 2-for-4 day driving in three runs on the game.

Bellevue jumped out to an early lead, scoring a run in each of the first two innings before a three run shot from Grade in the second and never relented.

Dustin Mertz briefly gave the Vikings cause for optimism, hitting the lone mistake offered up by starter Blake Crippen over the center field fence in the fourth.

Bellevue immediately responded with a three-spot in the fifth and Lacey's three-run blast in the sixth.

Crippen (6-1) went the distance on the hill, striking out seven while scattering just five hits. With his game-ending strikeout, Crippen became the 53^rd Bruin to strike out at least 100 batters in his career.

Daniel Alvarado (0-1) was saddled with the loss, allowing five runs on seven hits and a pair of walks in four innings.

Up Next:

The Bruins and Vikings wrap up their four-game set tomorrow with a double-header beginning at approximately 5 p.m. The start time may fluctuate depending on the length of the preceding high school games.