BABSON PARK, Fla. -- Emily Gigax drove staked the Bruins to a 2-0 lead behind the strong pitching of Erin Sharpe and Kelli Fisher power the No. 22 Bellevue University softball team to a 3-0 victory over Spring Arbor University in their second game of THE Spring Games on Saturday afternoon.
The win is the second straight for the Bruins (2-5) while the loss drops Spring Arbor to 3-3.
Gigax (1-3, 2 RBI) put BU 2-0 up in the third inning. With the bases loaded and two outs Gigax worked a nine-pitch at-bat that resulted in a double to right field that chased home Kaitlyn Goney (1-3, run) and Sharpe (0-2, run) who had reached on a fielder's choice and walk, respectively.
The Bruins tacked on an insurance run in the sixth. Sayde Woten (1-3) singled before being lifted for courtesy runner Sarah Zeleny (run). Zeleny promptly stole second before coming home on an opposite field base hit by Katie Franzen (3-3, RBI).
Sharpe (1-2, 3.29) picked up the victory after spinning five masterful innings of two-hit ball and facing just one batter over the minimum. Fisher (1 save, 2.85) worked two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit to record her first save of the year.
After posting back-to-back shutouts the Bruins have lowered their team ERA by almost a run and a half to 3.11 for the season.
Bellevue is back in action tomorrow with a double-header against Purdue-Calumet and Hannibal-LaGrange. Game times are 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. local time (10 a.m. and noon central time).
