Sharpe supplies power in BU sweep of Waldorf

BELLEVUE, Neb. ­­-- The Bellevue University bats were out in full force today as the Bruins swept a double-header against Waldorf University, 8-3 and 14-6, to secure a four-game North Star Athletic Association sweep of the Warriors at the Lied Center.

Bellevue eclipses the .500 mark for the first time in 2016, improving to 15-13 (7-1 North Star) with the victories. The Warriors drop to 7-17 (3-5 North Star) with their first conference series loss.

The Bruins return to the Lied Center on Saturday, Apr. 9 when they host Mayville State at 3 p.m. Before that BU makes a four-game road trek around the Cornhusker State, playing double-headers at York (Tuesday, 5 p.m.) and at Midland (Thursday, 4:30 p.m.).

Game One: Bellevue 8, Waldorf 3

Erin Sharpe was 2-for-3 with five runs driven in to power Bellevue to an 8-3 victory over Waldorf in game one of a conference double-header and secure a series victory for the Bruins.

BU struck first with a run in the first inning. Emily Gigax led off the game with a double and Emily Miller followed that up with a run-scoring double to center field.

The score remained stagnant at 1-0 in favor of the hosts until the fourth. Kaitlin Murphy scored on a wild pitch to put the Warriors on the board, tying the game.

In the bottom of the fifth the Bruins created some separation. Sharpe hit the first of her three doubles on the day to score a pair of runs and advance Gigax to third. Tooley followed up with a sac fly to push the Bruin lead to 4-1.

The Warriors battled back to within a run in the sixth with a couple of fielder's choices that resulted in two unearned runs coming across to pull within 4-3.

Gigax doubled home pinch-runner Sydney Robertson in the bottom half of the inning to give BU a two-run lead and a little breathing room. After Miller was hit with a pitch, Sharpe tattooed a no-doubter over the left center fence for a three-run home run to give Bellevue an 8-3 advantage.

Kelli Fisher (11-8, 1.47) set the side down in order in the seventh to end the game. She went the distance for the Bruins, holding Waldorf to three runs (just one earned) on seven hits. She struck out four and didn't walk a batter.

Game Two: Bellevue 14, Waldorf 6 (5 Inn.)

In the second game Bellevue established new season-highs in both runs and hits en route to a run-rule shortened 14-6 victory over Waldorf in five innings.

Alex Tooley and Emily Miller were each 3-for-4 with four RBI, two runs scored, and a double in the game. Courtney Schendt added a two-hit game for BU and Sayde Woten drove in a pair of runs on the game.

In addition to picking up the win in the circle Erin Sharpe (4-5, 2.63) hammered out a pair of doubles and drove in two runs.

Bellevue set the tone early with a seven-run first inning which saw the Bruins send 12 batters to the plate.

Both teams traded runs in the second before Waldorf started cutting into what was an 8-1 Bruin lead. The Warriors struck for a run in the third and two each in the fourth and fifth innings to pull within two runs at 8-6.

The Bruins put the game away in the bottom of the fifth, scoring six times on five hits to invoke the 8-run mercy rule. Woten delivered the decisive blow with a single to right center to plate Tooley to end the game.

Bellevue out-hit Waldorf 13-10 in the game.