OMAHA, Neb. -- Aaron Garner was thrown out at the plate to end Tuesday afternoon's game as the No. 9-ranked Bellevue University baseball team saw their 14-game win streak halted, falling 14-13 to Morningside University at John Stella Field at Brown Park.
Morningside picked up their third-straight victory over a top 20 team, having twice defeated #19 Doane University yesterday, to improve to 18-7 on the year.
The first home loss of the season drops Bellevue to 21-5.
Morningside's offense was relentless as the Mustangs scored multiple runs in each of the first six innings.
After jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the second, Morningside saw that advantage reach 8-2 after 3 ½ innings of play before Bellevue was able to cut into the deficit with a three-run fourth.
Three runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth from the Mustangs saw the visitors take a 13-5 lead and bring the run-rule into question. The Bruins have not suffered a run-rule defeat at home since at least 1993.
After a scoreless top of the seventh, Bellevue struck for six runs in the home half to cut the deficit to 13-11.
Nick Grajeda scored Hunter Jenkins with a sac fly in the eighth to make it 14-11.
Down to their last ups, Bellevue mounted a rally in the home half of the ninth as Nick Grade lofted a solo shot with one-out, his eighth of the season.
After Tradd Richardson drew a walk and Mathieu Sirois singled, pinch-hitter Eric Anderson hit into a fielder's choice to put runners at the corners with two outs. Pinch-runner Aaron Garner took off for second on a pitch in the dirt with Kanta Kobayashi batting to put the tying run in scoring position.
Kobayashi followed with a base hit to left to score pinch-runner Takumi Maeno and see Garner round third before being tagged out at the dish to end the game.
Predetermined pitchers of record Kai Purdy-Burton (3-1) and Parker McMan (3-1) took the decisions for their respective clubs.
Kobayashi finished 3-for-3 with three RBI and Drew Staley also posted a three-hit game going 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI and runs scored. Jake Lacey, Grade, and Richardson all finished with multi-hit games.
Aiden Bishop homered in a 2-for-6 day and Jayson Willers finished 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and four RBI for the Mustangs. Hunter Hope reached safely in all six of his plate appearances from the leadoff spot and Grajeda finished 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI on the afternoon.
The Bruins return home this weekend, hosting Dickinson State University for a four-game NSAA series. Exact details of Saturday's double-header will not be known until Friday evening while Sunday's twin bill sees first pitch set for noon at Brown Park.
