Box Score
NAIA Opening Round Schedule/Results
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa -- The fifth-seeded Bellevue University softball team surrendered a 3-0 lead as St. Xavier University scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth and won the contest on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the seventh to give the Cougars a 4-3 victory in the opening game of the NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round - NWC Bracket Monday afternoon at Open Space Park.
The loss dropped the Bruins (32-21) into the loser's bracket. Bellevue will face the loser of No. 2-seeded Madonna University versus No. 3-seeded Grand View University on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. in an elimination game. St. Xavier (28-12) will meet top-seeded Northwestern (Iowa) College on Tuesday at 1 p.m.
Breanne McMurtry paced the BU offense, going 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.
The Bruins threatened in the top of the second inning with a lead-off double to right-center field by Breanne McMurtry. After Savannah Gunn grounded out to the shortstop, Katie Cunningham drilled a double down the right-field line, but McMurtry was thrown out at home to leave the game scoreless.
BU grabbed a 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning on B. McMurtry's two-run single through the right side and Gunn's RBI single through the right side.
The Cougars loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom half of the third inning, but BU turned a double play, including a force out at home, and Cunningham induced an infield popout to keep the score at 3-0.
Cunningham gave up a pair of hits to open up the sixth inning and was replaced by Cory Carrillo and after striking out her first batter, a two-run groundout RBI by Abbie Carr sliced the BU lead to 3-2. The Cougars tied the game at 3-3 after a single by Lindsay Morgan, and a throwing error by right fielder Alexa Sidel allowed Brooke Koran to score from second.
SXU loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh as Gunn became BU's third pitcher of the game. A sacrifice fly to right field by Alexus Reese scored Maddi Stahulak, giving the Cougars the dramatic 4-3 victory.
Laila Summers earned the win after retiring the final 13 Bruin batters. She improved 20-6 on the season, scattering five hits with one walk and nine strikeouts in seven innings in the circle.
Carrillo (0-4) was tagged with the loss, giving up two unearned runs on four hits in one inning of work.
