TUCSON, Ariz. -- The Bellevue University softball team split a pair of games on Tuesday at the Tucson Invitational Games, falling to the University of St. Francis (Ill.), 7-1, in the opener, before upsetting No. 11-ranked Northwestern (Iowa) College in the nightcap.
The Bruins moved to 9-7 on the season with the split.
Bellevue will be idle on Wednesday before returning to action on Thursday, Mar. 6, at the Tucson Invitational Games. BU will battle No. 6 Madonna University at 10 a.m. and Concordia (Mich.) University at noon.
St. Francis (Ill.) 7, Bellevue 1
St. Francis used a fast start and the solid pitching effort of Emily Boyle en route to the 7-1 victory over BU in the opener.
The Saints raced out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, sparked by an RBI triple to right field by Morgan Smardo and a groundout RBI by Boyle.
A two-run triple to right field by Isabella Landeros extended the Saints' advantage to 5-0 in the top of the second frame.
Bellevue sliced the lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the second on an RBI single to center field by Miranda Garcia, driving in Atiana Rodriguez, who led off the inning with a double to center field.
USF answered in the top of the third with a solo homer to left field by Boyle, expanding the margin to 6-1. The Saints made it 7-1 in the top of the fourth with an RBI double to center field by Emily Hurst.
Emily Zoucha (2-3) suffered the loss, giving up five runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts in the first two innings of the contest.
Boyle (1-2) earned her first win of the season, allowing one run on eight hits with one walk and three K's in the complete-game victory.
The Bruins grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a bases-loaded walk to Breanne McMurtry and an RBI single to right field by Rodriguez.
NWC answered in the bottom of the first, tying the game on a two-run homer to center field by Gwen Mikkleson.
Bellevue extended the lead to 3-2 in the top of the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly to center field by Mariah Unverzagt, scoring Laila Fiscus from third. BU made it 4-2 in the top of the sixth on an RBI single to left field by Kaitlyn Fisher.
The Bruins erupted for four runs in the top of the seventh, sparked by a three-run home run by Alexa Sidel and a run-scoring single to center field by Garcia, giving BU an 8-2 advantage, heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Katie Cunningham (6-2) retired the side in the bottom of the seventh to earn the complete-game victory. She scattered seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts in seven innings in the circle.
