Bruins down Ashford, WPU; Mohler sets school record for Ks

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OSKALOOSA, Iowa -- The Bellevue University softball team produced two wins Friday at the William Penn Softball Classic, defeating Ashford University, 10-2, in six innings in the opener, and William Penn University, 3-1, in the nightcap. 

Taylor Mohler set the school record for strikeouts in a game with 17 in BU's victory over William Penn. 

The Bruins will conclude action at the tournament on Saturday (March 21) with an 11 a.m. contest against Culver-Stockton College and a 1 p.m. clash with Ashford.

Bellevue 10, Ashford 2 (6 innings)

Bellevue used home runs from Ashley Gigax and Sayde Woten to propel the Bruins to the 10-2 win in six innings in the opener. 

The Bruins struck early with a two-run homer by Ashley Gigax in the top of the first. Ashford responded in the bottom half of the first with a two-run double by Alex Bitto, tying the game at 2-2. 

Woten's three-run homer in the top of the third pushed the Bruin advantage to 5-2.

Bellevue added four runs in the fifth, highlighted by a two-run double to center field by Alex Tooley and an RBI double to right center field by Emily Gigax, extending the lead to 9-2.

Tooley drew a bases-loaded walk to give the Bruins a 10-2 lead in the top of the sixth frame. 

Kelli Fisher (6-2) picked up her sixth win of the season, allowing six hits with three walks and six strikeouts in six innings in the circle. 

Woten finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Ashley Gigax went 1-for-1 with three runs, two RBIs and three walks. 

Bellevue 3, William Penn 1

Mohler set the school record with 17 strikeouts and the Gigax sisters produced all three RBIs as the Bruins defeated host William Penn, 3-1, in the nightcap. 

Mohler improved to 8-4 on the season, scattering five hits with four walks, while breaking the previous school record of 16 strikeouts held by herself and Kora Behrens (2009). 

Emily Gigax blasted an RBI triple, scoring Michaela Miller to give BU an early 1-0 margin in the top of the first. 

Neither team scored again until Ashley Gigax belted her second home run of the night, a two-run blast to left field in the top of the fifth, increasing the Bruin lead to 3-0. 

The Statesmen avoided the shutout with an RBI single by Chelsee Herron in the bottom of the seventh, before Mohler forced an infield popup to end the game, 3-1.