LAKE WALES, Fla. -- In a wild back-and-forth affair, the seventh-ranked Bellevue University baseball team outlasted Warner University 8-7 in non-conference action on Tuesday afternoon at Royals Field.
The Bruins extended their win streak to four games, improving to 10-7 on the year, while Warner dropped their third-straight to fall to 11-7.
Following a scoreless first, Steven Elsner led off a three-run second inning with a double deep to right-center. Brendan Luther moved him to third with a ground ball before Nick Grade grounded a ball through the hole on the left side for a 1-0 BU lead. Anthony Lind followed with a double, Grade scored on Tradd Richardson's ground ball when the throw home sailed wide, and CJ Townsend plated another run with an infield single.
Bellevue loaded the bases in the third following a shutdown inning by Brady Toth but was unable to add on as Noah Harsch struck out Richardson to escape trouble.
Warner posed their first scoring threat in the bottom of the fourth, putting runners on the corners with one out, but Brady Toth struck out the side to keep the Royals off the board.
Luther squeezed home another run in the fifth. With Alec Ackerman at third with one out, Luther laid down a bunt to the charging third baseman. The ball kicked off his glove, allowing Ackerman to score, but the carom landed at catcher Julian Figueroa's feet, who picked the ball up and fired to first for the second out.
Jhenzel Figueroa put the Royals on the board in the home half of the frame with a high chop single over Ackerman at first to score Triston Devane from third after he reached on an error to open the inning. Another error in the inning put runners on second and third with just one out before Auston Chisenhall's single to center scored both to cut the deficit to one, 4-3.
John Malcolm ripped a shot just inside the bag at first, tripling to open the sixth, and scored on a base hit to center by Kayden Anderson that chased Toth from the game. Teron Williams came on out of the bullpen and retired the side to keep things tied into the seventh.
Bellevue left the bases loaded for the second time in the game, with Cauy Massner striking out Grade to end the seventh inning.
Warner scratched across two more runs in the seventh to take their first lead of the game on a two-out, two-run single up the middle by Diego Guevara.
Back-to-back two-out doubles in the eighth by Logan Grant, and Ackerman put the Bruins back in front. An error by J.J. Gonzalez extended the inning, then with two on and two out, Grant rifled a double into the right field corner to score pinch-runner Bryce Zimmerer and Jake Lacey from second and first, respectively. Ackerman followed suit by belting a double into right-center for a 7-6 BU lead. Elsner greeted reliever Ryley Rozar with an opposite-field single to double the Bruin advantage.
Chisenhall halved that lead with a two-out double down the left field line to score Carlos Vicente, but Ayden Adams struck out Julian Figueroa to send the game to the ninth with Bellevue in front.
Malcolm gave Warner life in the ninth with a leadoff single, but pinch-runner Luis Cedeno was erased on a popped-up bunt that Adams caught and fired to first for the twin killing. Guevara followed with a single through the left side, but Adams got a ground ball to Grade, who fired to second for a force out to end the game.
Neither starter factored in the decision, while Massner took the loss, allowing four unearned runs in 2.2 innings of relief.
Bellevue used five pitchers in the ballgame, with Jace Wessels (1-0) earning the win in a third of an inning of relief, and Adams collected the two-inning save.
Bellevue has an off day tomorrow before returning to action on Thursday, Mar. 7, for a 1 p.m. showdown with #12 Webber International University (18-3) at Brad Niethammer Field.
