Softball sweeps Robert Morris doubleheader

The softball team improved its record to 16-7 with back-to-back victories over the Robert Morris University Colonials (1-3) in a doubleheader Tuesday night.

The Bulls won the first game 4-1, led by a dominant pitching performance by Bree Spence (3-1), who had 10 strikeouts and allowed only one run on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings of work. Spence now has 298 strikeouts for her career and boasts a 1.62 ERA.

After a slow start offensively, sophomore Jessica Landau got the Bulls started in the third with a solo home run. The Bulls hit three home runs in the first game, tying a team record.

Carly Griffin’s fifth-inning solo home run was the 13th of her career, placing her at eighth on the all-time home run list.

Freshman Allison Savarese had a home run in each game, giving her three for the season.”I’ve been struggling a lot,” Savarese said. “I’ve just been going up there trying to make contact, and today it worked out.”

The second game of the doubleheader ended in a 3-0 Bulls’ victory, led by the pitching of freshman Kristen Gordon. In the first complete game victory of her career, Gordon struck out eight batters and allowed only three hits.

“My main concern was staying focused for the duration of the game,” Gordon said. “I just didn’t want to give them any opportunities to get something started.”

After escaping a jam in the second by striking out three batters in a row, Gordon never looked back, allowing only two hits the rest of the game.

“She showed a lot of guts for a freshman,” coach Ken Eriksen said. “It’s a rarity at this level to see a freshman strike three batters out on nine straight pitches with runners on second and third. We’re really happy with the effort we got from her tonight.”

The Bulls got off to a quick start when Danielle Urbanik singled in a run in the first inning. The Bulls added two runs with the second home run of the day by Savarese and an RBI single by Ashley Bullion.

The key to both victories was their pitching.

“Bree got us off on the right foot,” Eriksen said. “What we got out of Kristen Gordon was great. If we keep getting pitching like that, we’ve got the opportunity to win a lot of ball games.”