MADISON, S.D. -- The Bellevue University softball team ran their win streak to three games with a 4-3 victory over Dakota State University on Tuesday afternoon in a North Star Athletic Association contest on DSU's campus.
Maddie Siedlik singled home the eventual game-winning run in the top of the sixth inning to put BU up 4-0, a lead they needed after surrendering three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Sayde Woten led off the inning with a single to center field before being lifted for Sydney Robertson on the base path. Robertson swiped second ahead of Kaitlyn Goney's line out. That brought Siedlik to the dish – pinch-hitting for Sarah Zeleny – who stroked a single to center field to increase the Bruin lead.
With the victory Bellevue improves to 11-13 (3-1 North Star) on the season while Dakota State dips to 2-6 (0-4 North Star) early in their 2016 campaign.
After struggling to score runs in the first 21 games of the season (50 total runs) the Bruins bats have come alive over the past two days. Bellevue has now scored 20 runs in their past three games to go along with 27 hits in that same span to raise the team batting average to .213 for the year.
Erin Sharpe had a tremendous all-around game for Bellevue. She was 2-for-4 at the plate with a double, two RBI, and a run scored while throwing three effective innings of relief. She held the Trojans to two runs on a three hits and a walk while striking out a pair.
Gigax and Emily miller each had multi-hit games for the Bruins and Zeleny, Woten, and Robertson each stole bases for the visitors.
Coming off a convincing win over Dickinson State earlier in the afternoon, Bellevue made a statement in the opening inning, scoring three runs. The first two runs came on a single to left field by Sharpe that plated Emily Gigax and Emily Miller who had both singled to lead off the game. Sharpe advanced to second on the throw and came in to score when Alex Tooley reached on an error.
Scoring was stagnant from that point until the Bruins struck for their fourth run in the sixth. Dakota State showed some fight, scoring three times in the bottom half, to make a game of this one. A leadoff triple from Audrey Kosman paid immediate dividends as she came in to score on April Pisk's single to left field putting the Trojans on the board. A triple from Tatum Ronke brought home Pisk and Ronke came in to score on a groundout from Shai-Lee Hill.
BU threatened in the seventh when Sharpe doubled to left but the Bruins were unable to advance pinch-runner Kayla Lehigh.
Kelli Fisher retired the side in order in the bottom of the seventh to secure the victory for Bellevue. Fisher recorded the win for the Bruins to improve her record to 9-8 on the year. In four total innings of work Fisher limited the Trojans to just one run on four hits and a walk. She struck out four.
Claire Fischer suffered the loss for Dakota State. She allowed three earned runs – four runs total – on 10 hits in 5.1 innings or work.
Bellevue next plays on Saturday when they host the first two games of a four-game series against Waldorf College at 1 p.m. at the Lied Center, their new home facility. The two teams will also play a double-header on Sunday at noon at the Lied Center.
