DICKINSON, N.D. -- After being sent to the loser's bracket following a 9-1 loss to the No. 2 seed Valley City State University, the top-seeded Bellevue University softball squad stayed alive by rebounding with a 6-1 victory over No. 3 Dickinson State University in BU's second contest of the day.
Bellevue (41-11) will now play VCSU for the NSAA Tournament title on Monday. The Bruins will need to defeat the Vikings twice to win the championship.
The first championship game is set for 1 p.m. (central time) on Monday. If a second game is necessary, it will be played at 3 p.m.
VCSU 9, Bellevue 1
VCSU used an eight-run fourth inning to earn a 9-1 run-rule victory in five innings, sending the Bruins to the loser's bracket.
The Vikings took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning on a sacrifice fly to left field by Riley Perryman that scored Andrea Rodriguez from third.
The Bruins responded in the bottom of the third, tying the game at 1-1 on a bases-loaded walk to Katie Cunningham.
VCSU exploded for eight runs on six hits in the top of the fourth to regain the lead at 9-1. The Vikings used four-straight two-out RBI singles by Ashlynne Copinga, Ashlyn Diemert, Marissa Hawkins, and Perryman and a three-run double by Maddy Zander to build the eight-run advantage.
Zander (12-7) earned the win, allowing just four hits with seven walks and two strikeouts in five innings of work.
Cunningham (13-6) was tagged with the loss, giving up nine runs on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts in 3.2 innings in the circle.
Bellevue 6 Dickinson State 1
The BlueHawks grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI double to right field by Hailey Enriquez.
The Bruins used a pair of two-run singles by Ashley Young and Liana McMurtry to spark a five-run third inning as BU took a 5-1 lead heading into the fourth.
Reese Floro's RBI single to left field gave the Bruins a 6-1 margin in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Dickinson State put a handful of runners on base in the final innings but the Blue Hawks were unable to push across any more runs.
Lauren Jurek (14-2) pitched four scoreless innings in relief for the Bruins as she picked up the win. Jurek allowed just two hits, walked two, and struck out three. Savannah Gunn started for the Bruins and went three innings, giving up three hits and a run. She walked two and struck out one.
Alexa Kappel started in the circle for DSU and suffered the loss, giving up two runs over 2 1/3 innings. Ari Martinez and Dallis Mitchell both pitched in relief.
Bellevue scored its six runs on seven hits. Young was 2-for-2 with a run and two RBIs, while Floro went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI. McMurty had a hit and drove in two runs, and both Mya Montero and Sami Reding registered a hit in the victory.
The Blue Hawks managed five hits in the loss, including two by Rhea Paiva.
Dickinson State ends its season with a 25-25 overall record.
