OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- The No. 15-ranked Bellevue University baseball team suffered a pair of one-run losses on Friday at Denney Crabaugh Field at Jim Wade Stadium.
The Bruins (1-2) fell 2-1 in the opener to No. 20 Concordia (2-0) before a 5-4 setback against No. 23 Oklahoma City (2-5) in the nightcap.
Game One: CUNE 2, BU 1
Alex Johnson (1-0) struck out nine over 4.2 to lead Concordia in the opener.
The Bulldogs scored early with Jaedan Jordahl delivering a two-out double to score Jaidan Quinn in the top of the first and Jimmy Blumberg chasing in Bronx Lewis with a sac fly in the second.
Bellevue manufactured a run in the second. Nolan Walther drew a one-out walk and courtesy runner Jaylan Ruffin took third on the Bruins' lone base hit, a knock from Scott Hansen. One batter later Ruffin scored on a wild pitch to cut the lead in half.
CUNE put runners on in each of the remaining four innings but were unable to scratch across in insurance run.
That left the door cracked open for the BU, but the final 13 Bruin batters were retired in order.
Bruin right-hander Gavin Wuschke (0-1) allowed two runs on five hits in 4.1 innings of work. He struck out three and walked one.
Jayden Vinson and Jace Wessels combined for 2.2 scoreless innings in relief, with each striking out a batter.
Game Two: OCU 5, BU 4
A four-run fourth broke a 1-1 tie and Oklahoma City held on for a 5-4 win over Bellevue in game two.
Jack Johnson staked Oklahoma City to an early 1-0 lead with second inning single after a pair of walks to lead off the frame.
Anthony Lind tied the game up in the fourth with a squeeze play to score Jake Lacey from third but that was all the Bruins could muster off OCU starter Jacob Burkett.
Four of the first five batters reached to open the bottom of the fourth with Ethan Rhodes chasing in the go-ahead run with an infield single and A Alexander driving in a pair with a base hit through the 5-6 hole. A Rensum chased in Alexander two batters later to extend the lead to 5-1.
Burkett (2-0) went the distance on the hill for the Stars, allowing four runs on five hits while striking out three and issuing four walks.
The Bruins made things interesting in the seventh, loading the bases with one out. After a pop out, Scott Hansen singled home a pair before Logan Grant followed with a single of his own to plate another run. Lacey wore a pitch to load the bases but Burkett got a punch out to seal the OCU win.
Kody Butt (1-1) took the loss in his first start of the year.
Up Next:
Bellevue wraps up the weekend tomorrow with an 11 a.m. first pitch against Oklahoma City.
