Big sixth inning leads to 8-3 win over Carlow

Box Score

CLERMONT, Fla. -- The Bellevue University softball team used a five-run sixth inning to break open a tie game en route to an 8-3 victory over Carlow (Pa.) University Friday morning at THE Spring Games. It marked the Bruins' final game of their annual Florida trip. 

With the win, BU improved to 8-6 on the season. Carlow fell to 2-9 overall.  

The Bruins took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning on a sacrifice fly to left field by Liana McMurtry, and an RBI single up the middle by Reese Floro. 

Carlow timed the game in the bottom of the third frame on a two-run homer to left field by Morgan Nedley. 

McMurtry drove in her second run of the game with an RBI infield single that scored Emma Crisman from third to give BU a 3-2 advantage. 

Once again, the Celtics tied the game in the bottom of the fifth when Hannah Gallagher scored following a fielding error by BU second baseman Alexa Sidel.

The Bruins erupted for five runs in the top of the sixth, sparked by an RBI single up the middle by Floro and a two-run single down the left-field line by Katie Cunningham, giving BU an 8-3 margin. BU also scored two runs in the inning with two-consecutive bases-loaded hit batsmen by Carlow starter Morgan Pierce.  

Savannah Gunn recorded the complete-game victory, improving to 2-0 on the season after giving up three runs on seven hits with no walks and three strikeouts in seven innings in the circle. 

Pierce took the loss, surrendering eight runs on eight hits with three walks and 4 K's in 5.2 innings of work. 

Floro finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBIs to lead the BU offense. McMurtry and Cunningham both drove in a pair of runs on two hits each. 

The Bruins will head to Orange City, Iowa, on Wednesday, March 15, for a 5 p.m. contest at 17th-ranked Northwestern (Iowa) College.