FAYETTE, Mo. — No. 22 Bellevue University dominated No. 25 Central Methodist University with 15 runs on 19 hits in Saturday's opener, then rallied from a four-run deficit to post an 11-9 win in the nine-inning nightcap and complete a four-game, non-conference series sweep at Estes Field. BU improved to 12-2 and extended its winning streak to 11 games, while the Eagles fell to 5-8.
Across the doubleheader, Bellevue scored 26 runs on 27 hits. Ayden Makarus went 6-for-8 with nine RBIs, two doubles and two home runs, while Carter Claerhout finished 5-for-7 with six runs scored, four RBIs and two homers.
Bellevue's sweep marked the first time in 11 years that Central Methodist has lost four straight in a home series.
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Game 1: Bellevue 15, Central Methodist 5
Bellevue scored 15 runs on 19 hits and built a 15-0 lead through six innings before Central Methodist got all five of its runs on Ryan Malzahn's two home runs.
The Bruins struck for five runs in the first to take a 5-0 lead. Anthony Lind led off with a double and scored on Oak Held's RBI single for a 1-0 advantage. Carter Claerhout followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0, and Nick Gravel added an RBI single to push it to 3-0. Dylan Holmes singled in a run for a 4-0 lead, and Mason Spellecy capped the inning with an RBI single to make it 5-0.
Bellevue went back-to-back in the second, as Claerhout homered to extend the lead to 6-0 and Makarus followed with a solo shot for a 7-0 cushion.
BU added one in the fourth to make it 8-0, then broke it open with four runs in the fifth to stretch the lead to 12-0. Holmes led off the inning with a solo homer for a 9-0 lead, and Makarus later delivered a two-run double to extend the margin.
Bellevue tacked on three more in the sixth to take a 15-0 lead. Luke Anderson doubled to start the rally and scored on Conner Boyd's RBI triple to make it 13-0. Jonny Carrera lifted a sacrifice fly for a 14-0 advantage, and Derrick Kuhlmann doubled in a run to push it to 15-0.
Central Methodist scored twice in the sixth on Malzahn's two-run homer to cut it to 15-2, then added three more in the seventh on Malzahn's three-run blast to bring the final to 15-5.
Top performers
Bellevue University (hitters)
- Ayden Makarus: 3-for-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR, 2B, BB
- Carter Claerhout: 3-for-4, 3 R, 2 RBI, HR
- Oak Held: 2-for-3, 3 R, RBI, BB, 2B
- Dylan Holmes: 2-for-3, R, 2 RBI, HR
- Nick Gravel: 1-for-4, 2 RBI
Bellevue University (pitching)
- Brayden Andersen (W): 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
- Alexandre Dionne: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Central Methodist University
- Ryan Malzahn: 3-for-3, 2 HR, 5 RBI
Inside the numbers
- Bellevue: 15 runs, 19 hits, 1 error; Central Methodist: 5 runs, 7 hits, 1 error
- BU produced nine extra-base hits: five doubles, one triple and three home runs
- Bellevue went 9-for-17 with runners in scoring position
Game 2: Bellevue 11, Central Methodist 9
Bellevue erased an early four-run deficit and used a four-run eighth inning to pull out an 11-9 win in the nine-inning nightcap. Makarus went 3-for-5 with six RBIs, including a two-out, three-run homer in the fifth and a three-run double in the eighth.
BU scored twice in the first to take a 2-0 lead. With Held and Claerhout both hit by pitches and moving into scoring position on a wild pitch, Gravel drew a walk to bring home Held for a 1-0 advantage. Xavier Lerma followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0.
Central Methodist answered with three runs in the second to move in front 3-2, highlighted by Gabe Whitehurst's two-run double and Malzahn's RBI single. The Eagles added three more in the third to extend the lead to 6-2, scoring two unearned runs on a sacrifice bunt that turned into an error and later plating another on Joseph Vazquez's RBI single.
Bellevue pulled within 6-5 in the fifth on Makarus' two-out, three-run homer to left-center, but CMU answered in the bottom half when Logan McKillip scored on a wild pitch to make it 7-5.
The Bruins tied it in the seventh when Held walked and Claerhout homered to center for a two-run shot, evening the score at 7-7.
Bellevue took control with four runs in the eighth. Jackson Polk scored on a wild pitch to put BU back in front 8-7, and Makarus followed later in the inning with a three-run double to stretch the lead to 11-7.
Central Methodist scored twice in the bottom of the eighth to trim it to 11-9. Joseph Vazquez doubled down the left-field line to drive in a run for 11-8, and Whitehurst brought home another on an RBI groundout to make it 11-9, but Brody Burnette worked out of the inning and posted a scoreless ninth to close it out.
Bellevue University (hitters)
Bellevue University (pitching)
Central Methodist University
- Gabe Whitehurst: 2-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI, BB
- Joseph Vazquez: 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI
