Bellevue defeats Ohio Dominican 15-3
Bruins score second-highest run output in team postseason
history
LEWISTON, Idaho
- No. 8 Bellevue (Neb.) University (52-15) used an offensive
outburst and moved on to the winner's bracket after a 15-3,
eight-inning win over No. 9 Ohio Dominican University (40-15)
this afternoon from Harris Field in front of 2,135 fans. The
game was No. 2 at the 2008 AVISTA-NAIA World Series. The 15 runs
scored by the Bruins were the second most in its postseason
World Series history - they posted 16 in a single-game during
the 1998 Series.
Bellevue, the visitors on the scoreboard, scored in the first
inning on Josh Northrup's RBI single, which plated lead-off
hitter Dave Powell, who reached on a walk. Ohio Dominican tied
the score in the third thanks to a sacrifice fly by Eian Banks.
He drove home Venson Doster, who opened the frame on a double to
left field.
The Bruins of Bellevue took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on a
perfectly-executed squeeze play by Jerry Zachery. Zachery's bunt
sailed over the pitcher's head and Zachary was safe at first on
the RBI-single scoring Matt Anderson. With ODU in need of a big
pitch from starter Jonathan Koutis to get out of the jam, he
induced Powell into an inning-ending double play with the bases
loaded. That play came on a 3-0 pitch from Koutis.
In the fifth inning, BU's Drew Farley knocked out his 10th
home run of the year off the tin shed roof in right-center
field. It marked the first homer of the Series and increased
Bellevue's lead to 4-1.
ODU cut the margin to 4-2 in the bottom half of the fifth inning
on a RBI-single by Joe Janusik. But the ODU offense would stall
after that while the Bruins offense would hit into high gear.
The game was blown open after a bases-clearing double by
Bellevue's Andy Brown in the sixth inning. He sent a deep drive
over the right-fielder's head which scored three runners. In
all, the Bruins plated five runs in that frame, sent all nine
batters to the plate, and expanded their lead to 9-2.
BC plated two more runs in the seventh frame and got past the
10-run margin with four runs in the eighth. With two outs in the
eighth, Tucket Slade blasted a three-run round tripper to
highlight the scoring.
With the win, Bellevue moves into a tie for fifth place on the
World Series wins list improving to 20-21 all-time.
Jon Ganzen, who was the third of four pitchers for the Bruins,
tossed 2.1 innings of shut-out ball to earn the win. Improving
to 9-0 on the year, Ganzen allowed just two hits and struck out
two. Kountis fell to 6-3 on the season going 5.0 innings for the
Panthers. He gave up four runs, all earned, on eight hits while
walking five.
There were a combined eight pitchers who walked 20 batters.
For Bellevue, Nick Damas, who entered the Series batting .413,
went 3-for-6 with four runs scored and two RBI. Shawn Lee
finished a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Three other
Bruins totaled two hits apiece as part of the 18-hit attack.
Doster and Janusik each came up with two hits for ODU.
BU compiled the most hits in the World Series since Cumberland
(Tenn.) had 18 in the 12-10 loss to Bellevue in Day 1 of the
2007 World Series. In addition, the 15 runs is the most since
Lindenwood (Mo.) put up 18 in the 18-5, 7-inning win over
Houston Baptist in the first round last year
Bellevue advances to play No. 1 Lee (Tenn.) University tomorrow
at 7 p.m. PST. ODU takes on the loser of No. 4 Azusa Pacific
(Calif.) University and No. 5 Union (Ky.) College at 8:30 a.m.
on Saturday.
