OMAHA, Neb. – One bad inning dampened a terrific start on Wednesday night for the College of Saint Mary softball team.

The fired-up Flames led Bellevue University 4-1 after 3½ innings in their nonconference game at Roy Smith Park, but the Bruins rallied with six in the bottom of the fourth and went on to post a 7-5 victory.

"It was a good game, all around,'' CSM coach Carolyn Todd Bray said. "I was happy we scored first and also kept scoring in multiple innings.''

Ella Watts blasted a two-run homer to left in the first inning for the Flames (5-24). In the third, Watts walked and eventually scored when Amber Kosmicki executed a suicide squeeze bunt with the bases loaded for a 3-1 lead.

In the fourth, Macy Santoni walked, was sacrificed to second by Cassie Wiseman, took third on Paige Stuck's groundout and scored on Watts' infield single to put CSM up 4-1.

However, the Bruins (18-15) strung together seven singles and a double in the bottom of the fourth for a 7-4 lead. CSM trimmed the lead to two in the sixth when Wiseman singled, advanced to second on an error and scored on another error.

Mariah Unverzagt closed the door to earn the win in relief for Bellevue. Shaylynn Campbell and Megan Garcia each pitched three innings for the Flames.

"I thought Shay and Megan both pitched well,'' Bray said. "And Paige Stuck had a fantastic day behind the plate. We did a lot of good things today.

"Now we need to focus on a crucial stretch of eight conference games over the next six days. We need to trust that our tough schedule up to this point has helped us prepare for this stretch.''

Watts finished 2 for 3 with two runs scored and three RBIs, and Bray praised Santoni for an outstanding catch in left field.

CSM will play host to Great Plains Athletic Conference foe Dordt University on Friday at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Suicide Prevention Awareness Night.