OMAHA, Neb. -- The Bellevue University softball team swept visiting Viterbo University, 5-0 and 9-2, Saturday afternoon on Senior Day at Roy Smith Field in North Star Athletic Association action.
With the two wins, the Bruins improved to 27-16 on the season and 16-2 in the NSAA. VU dropped to 9-32 overall and 5-13 in league play.
The Bruins' five seniors, Myla Beckstrom, Lexi Blankenfeld, Cory Carrillo, Savannah Gunn, and Madison Machacek were honored following the second contest.
The two teams will complete the four-game series with a noon doubleheader on Sunday (April 21) at Roy Smith Field.
The Bruins pounded out 10 hits and rode the solid pitching efforts of Savannah Gunn and Cory Carrillo to earn the 5-0 shutout in the opener.
A two-out RBI single to right field by Breanne McMurtry drove in Madison Machacek from second, giving the Bruins a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning.
The Bruins made it 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth on a solo shot over the center field fence by Machacek.
A two-run double to right field by Gunn and a groundout RBI by Lexi Blankenfeld made it 5-0 in the bottom of the sixth frame.
Carrillo, who replaced starter Gunn in the top of the seventh, struck out the side to preserve the 5-0 victory.
Gunn improved to 9-5 on the season, allowing just three hits with one walk and three strikeouts in six innings of work.
Alexis Watson (5-13) was tagged with the loss, giving up five runs on 10 hits with two walks and three strikeouts in six innings in the circle.
The Bruins used a six-run fourth inning to break open a tight contest en route to the 9-2 victory in the nightcap.
Atiana Rodriguez drilled an RBI triple to right field and scored on a fielding error to give BU a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning.
The V-Hawks responded in the top of the fourth, tying the game at 2-2 on RBI singles by Amanda Bogdonovich and Kate Olsen.
Bellevue quickly regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth, scoring six runs on an RBI infield single by Myla Beckstrom, a two-run single up the middle by pinch hitter Leslie Egan, a run-scoring single to center field by Rodriguez, and a two-run single to left field by Katie Cunningham, giving BU an 8-2 advantage.
A groundout RBI by Blankenfeld scored B. McMurtry from third, increasing the margin to seven runs at 9-2 in the bottom of the fifth frame.
Cunningham improved to 15-6 on the season, scattering seven hits with no walks and six strikeouts in five innings of work.
Carrillo pitched the final two innings, allowing just one hit while striking out one V-Hawk.
