SIOUX CENTER, Iowa -- The Bellevue University softball team split a pair of games on Sunday evening at the ASB Dome on the Dordt campus, downing Concordia (Neb.) University, 6-0, in the opener, before falling 3-2 in eight innings to Benedictine (Kan.) College in the nightcap.
The split moves Bellevue to 4-2 on the season.
The Bruins will battle the same two teams on Monday with a 10 a.m. contest against Concordia and a noon matchup with Benedictine.
Katie Cunningham tossed a complete-game one-hit shutout, and the Bruins pounded 10 hits en route to the 6-0 win over Concordia in the opener.
The Bruins connected on three singles in the top of the first, including a run-scoring shot to left field by Cunningham, to give BU an early 1-0 lead. The Bruins increased the margin to 3-0 in the top of the third on a two-run triple to right field by Savannah Short.
Bellevue made it 4-0 in the top of the fourth on a bases-loaded infield single by Breanne McMurtry that plated Alexa Sidel from third.
BU added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh on a suicide squeeze bunt by Cunningham that scored Kaitlin Fisher from third and on an RBI fielder's choice by Short that scored Breanne McMurtry, extending the margin to 6-0.
Cunningham improved to 2-1 on the season, allowing just one hit with three walks and five strikeouts in seven innings in the circle.
Fisher went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Cunningham finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs, and Short was 1-for-4 with a triple and three RBIs.
Megan Eurich (0-2) suffered the loss, giving up six runs on 10 hits with three walks and six strikeouts in seven innings of work.
Benedictine 3, Bellevue 2 (8 innings)
Neither team scored until a bases-loaded walk to Laila Fiscus gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth frame.
The Ravens answered in the bottom of the sixth, tying the game on an RBI single to left field by Alena Velilla.
After a scoreless seventh, BU gained a 2-1 edge in the top of the eighth on a sacrifice fly to right field by Atiana Rodriguez, scoring Cunningham from third.
Benedictine tied the game in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI double to right field by Megan Forsman. The Ravens then ended the contest when Ryan Cooper drove in Forsman with an RBI single to left field.
Ellie Zoucha (1-1) suffered the loss, giving up three runs on five hits with seven strikeouts in seven innings of work.
Lacey Foster earned the victory, scattering five hits with five walks and four strikeouts in eight innings.
