Central Methodist Box Score
Avila Box Score
William Penn Box Score
FORT WORTH, Texas -- The Bellevue University softball team opened the 2017 season with a 2-1 record in opening-day action at the Cowtown Classic Friday. The Bruins opened the day with a 3-1 win over No. 20-ranked Central Methodist University, followed by a 7-2 victory over Avila University. Bellevue ended the day with a 4-2 loss to William Penn University.
The Bruins will continue action at the Cowtown Classic on Saturday with a 9 a.m. contest against William Woods University and an 11 a.m. matchup with Our Lady of the Lake University.
Bellevue 3, Central Methodist 1
Senior Courtney Schendt went 2-for-3 with an RBI and senior Kelli Fisher allowed just one run with seven strikeouts to lead the Bruins to the 3-1 win over No. 20 Central Methodist in the opener.
Neither team scored until a solo homer by Hannah Blackmon gave the Eagles a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning.
The Bruins quickly responded in the bottom half of the third frame with a ground-out RBI by Emily Gigax and an RBI single by Maddie Siedlik, giving BU a 2-1 advantage.
Bellevue got out of a jam in the top of the fifth when the first two Eagles singled but were unable to score after Fisher induced a force out at third, a strikeout and a line out to end the threat.
A one-run single to right field by Schendt scored Sydney Robertson to extend the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Fisher allowed just two hits in the final two innings, while forcing three popups in the top of the seventh to secure the Bruins' 3-1 victory.
Fisher (1-0) scattered eight hits while striking out seven batters in seven complete innings of work. Alexis Kohrs suffered the loss despite striking out 12 batters. She allowed four hits while walking five in six innings.
Bellevue 7, Avila 2
Fisher picked up her second win of the day and the Bruins used two big innings en route to a 7-2 win over Avila in BU's second game.
The Bruins scored one run in the top of the first on a fielding error by Avila center fielder Kaycee Dexter. The Eagles responded with a suicide squeeze by Dexter in the bottom of the second to tie the contest at 1-1.
A pair of three-run innings in the fourth and fifth extended the BU lead to 7-1. The fourth frame was highlighted by a three-run triple by Michaela Miller, while the fifth frame saw RBIs from Emily Miller and Schendt and a bases-loaded walk by Sayde Woten.
Avila got a run back in the bottom of the fifth when Kelsei Davis scored on a fielding error by Schendt.
Fisher (2-0) struck out three, while allowing just two hits and no walks in five innings in the circle.
William Penn 4, Bellevue 2
Despite out-hitting William Penn 10-7, including four triples and two doubles, the Statesmen scored two late runs to nab a 4-2 victory over the Bruins in the final game of the day.
Emily Miller went 3-for-4 with two triples to lead the BU offense.
The Statesmen took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an RBI triple to right field by Jenny Navarro. WPU used a pair of double plays in the first two innings to stymie the BU offense which produced four hits, including a pair of triples in the opening two frames.
After Kaitlyn Goney tripled to center field, Erin Sharpe drove her in with a double to left field to tie the game at 1-1 in the top of the third. The Bruins then loaded the bases and took the lead on an RBI single to left field by Schendt.
Michelle Castro scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third inning.
An RBI single by Taylor Vernon and a one-run double by Kayla Browning gave the Statesmen a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning.
After Randi Henry led off the top of the seventh with a double to right field, Dalaney Bice retired three-straight batters to secure the 4-2 win.
Myah Boenke (0-1) suffered the loss, giving up three hits and two runs in one inning of relief. Bice (1-0) earned the win, scattering 10 hits with seven strikeouts in seven innings in the circle.
