OMAHA, Neb. -- Katie Cunningham homered, drove in three runs, and recorded the final out in the circle to lead the Bellevue University softball team to a 4-2 win over visiting College of Saint Mary on Saturday afternoon at Roy Smith Field.
With the win, the Bruins moved above .500 at 11-10 on the season, while the Flames slipped to 2-15 overall.
Bellevue was held without a hit through the first three innings before breaking through in the fourth. Cunningham put the Bruins on the board with a two-run shot to left-center — her team-leading fourth home run of the season — to give BU a 2-0 lead.
An inning later, the Bruins doubled their advantage. Mariah Unverzagt drove in a run with a single to left, and Cunningham added her third RBI of the day with a sacrifice fly to center, making it 4-0.
CSM mounted a late rally in the top of the seventh, cutting the deficit in half with RBI doubles by Megan Garcia and Ella Watts. With runners on second and third and two outs, Cunningham came on in relief and struck out Maria Perez to secure her first save of the year.
Unverzagt (1-1) earned the win, allowing two runs on six hits over 4.2 innings without issuing a walk.
CSM's Shaylynn Campbell (1-10) took the loss, surrendering four runs on six hits while striking out seven in five innings of work.
The Bruins return to action on Wednesday, March 26, with a 4 p.m. doubleheader at NCAA Division III Nebraska Wesleyan in Lincoln.
