Sharpe slings shutout and Bruins pick up walk-off win

CLERMONT, Fla. -- Erin Sharpe scattered six hits while notching her first complete game shutout and Katie Franzen's seventh inning single scored Sydney Robertson as the Bellevue University softball team walked off with a 1-0 win against Mount Vernon Nazarene University at Sleepy Hollow Park at THE Spring Games.

The win allowed the Bruins to claim a split on the day and run their record to 4-7 on the year. MVNU drops to 5-8 with the loss.

After trading zeroes for six and a half innings Bellevue finally broke through in the bottom of the seventh to avoid a second extra inning game of the day. Emily Miller led off the inning by reaching on an error before being sacrificed to second by Courtney Schendt. Pinch-hitter Kayla Young drew a walk to bring Franzen to the dish. Franzen lined a pitch to left that chased home pinch-runner Robertson from second with the game-winning run.

Mount Vernon Nazarene had their best chance to score in the sixth inning. Megan Beidelman doubled to center with one out. Hannah Shaffer followed that up two batters later with a single to left and, after the throw, advanced to second to put two in scoring position with two outs. Sharpe was able to induce a groundout to end the inning and preserve the deadlock.

Sarah Zeleny and Emily Miller joined Franzen in the hit column for the Bruins who were out-hit on the game by a margin of 6-3.

Anna Boue' (3-3) took the loss for the Cougars despite pitching pretty well. She allowed just one unearned run on three hits and a pair of walks.

Sharpe (2-2, 2.56) earned the victory in the circle for the Bruins, throwing seven shutout innings. She struck out four on the day.

The Bruins get a day for rest and recovery tomorrow before getting back at it with a pair of games on Wednesday, March 9. Bellevue takes on Trinity International University at 11 a.m. (10 a.m. CT) and Trinity Christian College at 1 p.m. (noon CT).