The fourth ranked Bellevue softball team had high hopes of breaking through to the late rounds of the NWAACC softball championships, and the Lady Bulldogs got off to a strong start, dropping Centralia Community College 6-3 in their opening game of the tournament on May 16 at Delta Park in Portland, Oregon. Sophomore outfielder Dawn Norcross led the Bulldog attack by going 3 for 4 at the plate, while fellow sophomore Erica Addison added two doubles for Bellevue. Sophomore pitcher Christine Miller-Long held Centralia in check by only allowing 3 runs to pick up her 18th win of the season.
In game two, the Bulldogs battled valiantly, but lost a heart-breaker in extra innings to Clackamas 4-3. Sophomore first baseman Michelle Wilson led Bellevue with a big two run single, but it would not be enough. Freshmen pitcher Michelle Ruby suffered the loss for the Bulldogs.
With the loss, Bellevue moved into the bottom bracket and a matchup with Chemeketa Community College. Down 13-1 the Bulldogs staged a late rally with a seven run fifth inning, but could not get over the hump and saw their season come to a close with a 8-13 loss. Christine Miller-Long suffered only her second loss of the season.
In spite of their struggles at the tournament, the Lady Bulldogs put together one of the finest seasons in BCC softball history. Bellevue finished with a 42-6 overall record, a 34-2 mark in the Northern Region, and the Regional Championship. It was the fourth NWAACC appearance in four years under head coach Coach Leah Francis, and the team’s third Northern Region Championship in four years as well.
Last Updated February 2, 2016
