Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
OMAHA, Neb. -- Alexa Sidel launched three home runs and drove in five runs on the day to lead the Bellevue University softball team to a sweep over visiting Dickinson State University, winning 6-0 and 5-2 as BU won all four games in the series.
Bellevue improved to 18-13 on the season and 7-1 in the North Star Athletic Association. DSU fell to 12-18 overall and 7-5 in league play.
The Bruins will head to Mayville, N.D. next Saturday-Sunday, April 6-7, for a four-game conference series at Mayville State University.
Game 1: Bellevue 6, Dickinson State 0
The Bruins took advantage of nine walks by three Blue Hawk pitchers and got key hits in the fifth and sixth innings en route to the 6-0 shutout in the opener.
Four straight walks gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning.
The Bruins scored three runs in the top of the fifth frame on another bases-loaded walk, a bases-load hit batsman, and an RBI single to center field by Liana McMurtry, increasing the lead to 4-0.
A two-run homer to center field by Alexa Sidel made it 6-0 in the top of the sixth inning.
Katie Cunningham (10-5) earned the win, allowing just three hits with two walks and four strikeouts in six innings of work. Cory Carrillo did not allow a hit in the seventh frame to preserve the BU victory.
Alexa Kappel (1-4) was tagged with the loss, giving up one run on three walks and a hit batsman in one inning in the circle.
Game 2: Bellevue 5, Dickinson State 2
Sidel drove in three runs on two homers to lead the BU offense to the 5-2 victory in the nightcap.
A solo homer to left field by Sidel gave the Bruins an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
The Bruins increased the lead to 3-0 in the top of the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly to center field by Lexi Blankenfeld and on a wild pitch that allowed Liana McMurtry to score from third.
The Blue Hawks scored their first run of the day in the bottom of the fifth on a groundout RBI by Cassy Loa that scored Jai Maddox-Hernandez from third, cutting the deficit to 3-1.
Sidel's two-run homer to left field pushed the Bruin advantage to 5-1 in the top of the seventh inning.
After an RBI double to left field by Maddox-Hernandez sliced the lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the seventh, BU starter Ellie Zoucha was replaced by Savannah Gunn, who retired three straight batters to earn her first save of the season.
Zoucha (2-1) earned the win, scattering eight hits with one walk and five strikeouts in six innings of work.
Dallis Mitchell (5-5) suffered the loss, giving up five runs on eight hits with one walk and four strikeouts in seven innings in the circle.
