OMAHA, Neb. -- The Bellevue University softball team earned a pair of run-rule victories on Sunday over Viterbo University, sweeping the four-game series with 8-0 and 15-3 wins, both ending in five innings.
The two victories improved the Bruins to 29-16 on the season and 18-2 in the NSAA. Viterbo dropped to 9-34 overall and 5-15 in league play.
The Bruins will host the College of St. Mary on Tuesday, April 23, at 6 p.m. at Roy Smith Field. The game has been designated as an NFCA Strikeout Cancer event.
Game 1: Bellevue 8, Viterbo 0 (5 innings)
Timely hitting and the solid pitching effort of Katie Cunningham propelled the Bruins to the 8-0 shutout in the opener in five innings.
The Bruins took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second, scoring on an RBI single to center field by Savannah Gunn, a sacrifice fly to right field by Myla Beckstrom, and a two-run double to left field by Atiana Rodriguez.
A two-run homer to center field by Beckstrom increased the margin to 6-0 in the bottom of the fourth frame.
Bellevue made it 7-0 in the bottom of the fifth on a solo homer to center field by Breanne McMurtry, and the Bruins ended the game on an RBI single down the left-field line by Gunn.
Gunn finished 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs. Beckstrom went 1-for-1 with a home run and three RBIs.
Cunningham improved to 16-6 on the season, scattering four hits with one walk and two strikeouts in five innings of work.
Alexis Watson (5-13) suffered the loss, giving up seven hits and two walks with one strikeout in 4.1 innings.
Game 2: Bellevue 15, Viterbo 4 (5 innings)
Bellevue pounded out 14 hits and took advantage of five V-Hawk errors en route to the 15-4 victory in the nightcap.
The Bruins got out of the gates quickly, scoring six runs on four hits in the bottom of the first inning as BU batted through the lineup. Bellevue scored on a pair of two-run doubles by Gunn and Beckstrom and on RBI singles by Ellie Zoucha and Laila Fiscus.
Viterbo responded in the top of the second, slicing the lead in half to 6-3 on an RBI single down the right-field line by Amanda Bogdonovich and on a two-run homer to right-center field by Natalie Martin.
An infield single RBI by Liana McMurty increased the advantage to 7-3 in the bottom of the second inning.
Rodriguez drilled an RBI triple down the right-field line, driving in Zoucha from first, giving BU an 8-3 lead in the bottom of the third.
The Bruins plated seven runs in the bottom of the fourth, highlighted by an RBI single down the left-field line by Zoucha and RBI singles by Fiscus, Kyndal Colon, and Breanne McMurtry, increasing the Bruin advantage to 15-3. The V-Hawks had three errors in the inning.
The V-Hawks scored on a dropped third strike in the top of the fifth, making the final 15-4 as Cory Carrillo closed out the victory.
Gunn earned the win, improving to 10-5 on the season. She did not allow a hit while walking one and striking out four batters in two innings of work.
Emily Roberts (1-7) was tagged with the loss, allowing nine runs (four earned) on eight hits with one walk and one strikeout in 1.1 innings in the circle.
