MELBOURNE, Fla. – No. 16 Missouri Baptist University softball opened up the Space Coast Games in Melbourne, Fla., with a 6-2 win over the University of Michigan-Dearborn on Monday afternoon.
Alohilani Bursey drove in a trio of runs while the Spartan pitching staff allowed seven hits and two earned runs while picking up five strikeouts.
Brooklynn Fischer tallied the win after three scoreless innings of relief with three strikeouts.
Michigan-Dearborn Recap
Madison Sherry got the start in the circle for the first time this season and retired the side in order in the first inning. In the second, a couple of runners reached base with two outs, prompting a call to the bullpen.
Ava Craft welcomed the new pitcher with an RBI single through the infield for a 1-0 lead.
Kaylie Brake worked out of the jam after the single with a fielder's choice to keep the deficit at one.
MBU retaliated quickly at the top of the third with three consecutive RBI hits. Fischer singled in a run with a knock to right,
Alexi Sanchez plated
Jacie Dees with a single, and Bursey plated the remaining runners with a double to left-center.
The Spartans walked in a run in the bottom half of the third to cut the lead to 4-2.
Bursey added her third RBI of the game in the top of the fifth on a sacrifice fly on the heels of a leadoff walk from
Makayla Johnson and a single from Dees.
Fischer took over pitching duties in the bottom of the fifth and set down the first four batters she faced. Back-to-back one-out singles in the sixth put pressure on, but Fischer forced a 4-6-3 double play to maintain a 5-2 lead.
Camry Kessler doubled in a run in the top of the seventh, and Fischer sealed the 6-2 win with a swinging strikeout in the bottom half.
Fischer picked up the win and improved her record to 2-2 after three innings of work, three hits, no runs, and three strikeouts. Sherry went 1.2 innings with one earned run and two hits. Brake went 2.1 innings with two hits, four walks, one run, and a pair of strikeouts.
Winning Pitcher: Brooklynn Fischer (2-2)
Losing Pitcher: M. Boehm (1-2)
Batting Leaders
Alohilani Bursey: 2-for-3, 2B, 3 RBI, R
Brooklynn Fischer: 1-for-4, RBI, R
Camryn Kessler: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
Records:
No. 16 Missouri Baptist: 9-5
Michigan-Dearborn: 2-5
What's Next?
The Space Coast Games continue Tuesday, March 3, with a doubleheader against ranked programs. The Spartans open at 3:45 p.m. (CST) against No. 18 St. Thomas University and follow up against No. 5 Marian University at 6 p.m. (CST).
Live stats can be found on the Missouri Baptist Spartans mobile app or on MBUSpartans.com.
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