Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
DICKINSON, N.D. -- The (RV) Bellevue University softball team opened its four-game North Star Athletic Association series at Dickinson State University with a sweep on Friday afternoon at North Softball Complex. The Bruins won by scores of 5-0 and 9-2.
With the two wins, Bellevue improved to 23-10 on the season and 9-1 in the NSAA.
DSU dropped to 12-20 overall and 4-6 in league play.
The two squads will complete the four-game series with a noon (MT) doubleheader on Saturday.
Game 1: Bellevue 5, Dickinson State 0
The Bruins used a three-run seventh inning to back the solid pitching effort of Katie Cunningham en route to the 5-0 shutout in the opener.
An RBI double to left field by Cunningham gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning.
The Bruins increased the advantage to 2-0 in the top of the sixth on a bases-loaded walk to Maricela Egan.
BU added three runs in the seventh to secure the shutout victory, scoring on Liana McMurtry's RBI single to center field and on Allison O'Driscoll's two-run single to center field.
Cunningham retired the side in the bottom of the seventh to earn the shutout victory.
O'Driscoll finished 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs to pace the Bruin offense.
Cunningham (8-6) scattered nine hits with no walks and eight strikeouts in seven innings of work.
Dallis Mitchell (3-8) suffered the loss, giving up five runs on seven hits with four walks and four strikeouts in seven innings.
Game 2: Bellevue 9, Dickinson State 2
Cory Carrillo picked up her fifth win of the season and BU outhit the Blue Hawks, 11-3, as the Bruins cruised to the 9-2 victory in the nightcap.
The Bruins took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first on Lauren Jurek's RBI line-drive double to right field that scored Reese Floro from second.
The Blue Hawks responded in the bottom of the second, taking the lead on a two-run homer to left field by Kennedy Kuntz.
Floro's RBI single to right field scored Catherine Kempf to tie the contest at 2-2 in the top of the third.
An RBI double to left field by Emily Rochford, a run-scoring triple to right field by Sami Reding, a suicide-squeeze RBI by Kempf, and an RBI single to right field by Jurek gave BU a 6-2 advantage in the top of the fourth frame.
Egan led off the top of the seventh with a solo shot over the left-field fence to increase the lead to 7-2. BU also used sacrifice flies by Kempf and Floro to push the margin to 9-2.
Carrillo, improved to 5-2 on the season, allowing two runs on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts in seven innings in the circle.
Ari Martinez (7-9) took the loss, giving up six runs on seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts in 3.1 innings of work.
Floro went 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs to pace the Bruin offense in the nightcap.
