Nationally Ranked Bellevue Sweeps V-Hawks

OMAHA, Neb. – The Viterbo University Baseball team opened North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) play this weekend with a series against Bellevue University (Neb.), who was ranked #14 in the most recent NAIA Baseball Coaches' Top 25 Poll. The Bruins swept the V-Hawks, 8-11, 0-9, 1-10, 5-10. VU now sits at 2-17 (0-4 NSAA), while BU improved to 17-4 (4-0 NSAA).

Bellevue started the series with a run in the top of the first, and followed it up with two more in the fourth. Spencer Hans would get the V-Hawks on the board in the bottom of the fourth, scoring on Kendal Hofer's ground ball. The Bruins added another in the top of the fifth, but Viterbo exploded for five runs in the bottom. Hans hit a grand slam to center, bringing in Hunter Hess, Chad Herrera, and Remy Stern, and Blake Warner followed it up with a solo shot to left center to go up 6-4. BU tied the game in the top of the sixth with a two-run homerun, and by the bottom of the ninth would be ahead 6-11. Marcus Hornacek nailed a homer of his own, scoring Gavin Daniel, but the rally would end there, with the Bruins winning 8-11.

Hans led the V-Hawks offense, going 2-for-4 with four RBI's, and Hornacek went 2-for-4 with two RBI's. Logan Grant had four RBI's on four hits for the Bruins. Dominic LaBlanc (L, 1-1) recorded the loss, while Cale Beckman had two strikeouts for Viterbo. Alexandro Celiceo (W, 5-1) earned the win.

The nightcap on Sunday started as a defensive battle, with neither team scoring unitl the fifth inning. That's when Bellevue's bats came alive with two runs on two hits, then six runs in the sixth, and a ninth run in the seventh. Frankie McGuire managed a single, but that would be the only hit in the final inning for the V-Hawks.

Four V-Hawks recorded a hit, with McGuire connecting on his only at-bat. Kanta Kobayashi went 2-for-2 and was walked twice. Ryan Gill (L, 1-2) recorded eight strikeouts in 5.1 innings, and Blake Crippen (W, 5-1) had seven in a complete game.

Monday's early game would again start in BU's favor, with a run in the top of the first, and they would keep momentum, adding five in the fourth on a pair of home runs, and another in the fifth. Warner's solo homer in the sixth put Viterbo on the board, but the Bruins added to the lead with three runs on two homers in the seventh. VU would strand two more runners, but neither team would score as Bellevue claimed a 1-10 win.

Warner went 2-for-4 and Hess added the only other VU hit on the day, while Tradd Richardson went 2-for-3 and three RBI's. Ben Strassman (L, 0-4) had four K's in 4.0 IP, and Easton Brinton (W, 2-1) had six over 7.0 innings.

The final game saw the Bruins bringing in the first score in the top of the third, but the V-Hawks answering with a Herrera RBI single and a Hans two-RBI double to go up 3-1. Bellevue tied the game again in the fourth with an unearned, two-run homer, but the bottom the fifth put Viterbo in the lead again on a Hess sacrifice fly. A home run and single in the sixth gave BU the one-run advantage, but Herrera's single scored Ryan Mesa to even the game yet again. But five runs in the top of the eighth game BU a commanding lead, and Viterbo could not rally, falling 5-10.

Hans went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI's, while McGuire went 2-for-3. Drew Staley had a hit on both of his at-bats, scoring on one. Alec Danen (L, 0-2) recorded the loss, while Anthony Sanchez and LaBlanc each had two strikeouts. Parker McMan (W, 2-0) had five strikeouts in 3.0 innings.

The V-Hawks take the diamond again on Friday, March 24 as they travel to Dickinson State University (N.D.).