May 17, 2007

OMAHA, Neb. - Bellevue University, rated No. 8 in NAIA, took a 1-0 series lead at the Plains Super-Regional Tournament on Thursday night with a 6-1 victory over Northwestern College (Iowa). Bellevue will play the best 2-of-3 series conclusion on Friday afternoon starting at 1 p.m. at Westgate Field in Omaha.

Bellevue University, 44-13, took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Dion Parks doubled down the right field line to lead off the inning. Nick Rivera singled up the middle to score Parks advancing to second on the throw. Shawn Lee ended the inning with a fly out to right.

In the top of the third inning Nick Love struck out the side then the Bruins took a 2-0 lead with a Carlos Jackson single to center with one out. Zach Weidenaar followed Jackson's single with a triple to right field putting Bellevue up 2-0.

In the fourth inning, Dion Parks hit his second double of the evening to lead off the inning. Mike Pratt singled to right advancing Parks to third. With runners on second and third with no outs, Casey Smith grounded out to second pushing across Parks for Bellevue's third run. Pinch-runner, Nick Hamsa, scored when Blake Busson singled to the infield giving the Bruins a 4-0 advantage.

Northwestern College, 37-17, got on the scoreboard in the fifth inning when Joe Heitritter singled with one out followed by a Justin Lane single to put runners on first and second. After a sac bunt by Matt Gray, Heitritter scored on a Love passed ball scoring the Red Raiders' first run.

Bellevue sealed the victory with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the seventh inning with runs from Shawn Lee on a passed ball and Busson scoring on a Weidenaar single.

Northwestern College got a pair of hits from Justin Lane (2-for-4), Codie Zeutenhorst (2-for-4) and lead-off batter, Grant Wall (2-for-5). The Red Raiders had 10 hits as a team with their only run coming from a passed ball. Dusty Meyn picked up the loss yielding 6 runs on 6 hits in 6 1/3 innings with 3 strikeouts.

Bellevue University had Dion Parks go 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles while Blake Busson was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Zach Weidenaar was 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs and a triple. Bellevue had 12 hits in the game with Casey Smith and Blake Busson grabbing the other RBIs. Nick Love earned the victory pitching 8 innings, allowed 9 hits and a run. Love had 7 strikeouts as Brett Scarpetta pitched the final inning in relief.

The tournament will conclude on Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. with the winner advancing to the AVISTA-NAIA Baseball World Series in Lewiston, Idaho starting on May 25.