Box Score LAFAYETTE, La. - Freshman pitcher Brandi Ore (Versailles, Ky./Paul Laurence Dunbar) tossed a complete-game three-hit shutout in her first career outing to help Bradley to an 8-0 victory against Bryant Saturday at the 24th annual Louisiana Classics. The Braves improved to 3-0 with the win, marking the best start to a season since the 2006 campaign.
For the third time in as many games the Braves scored in the first inning to take an early lead. Senior Amanda Clack (Hillsboro, Mo./Hillsboro) drew a walk and stole second base for her fifth stolen base in three games. Clack came around to score on a single up the middle by Brittany Fairbairn (Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East/Kankakee C.C.), who also stole second and moved to third on a passed ball.
Junior Kate Singler (Witt, Ill./Nokomis/Heartland C.C.) drew a walk and stole second to put runners at second and third with no outs and sophomore Julie Sherman (Hickory Hills, Ill./Stagg) provided the big hit in the inning with a two-run single to put Bradley head 3-0.
Ore (Versailles, Ky./Paul Laurence Dunbar) retired the first eight batters she faced in her Bradley debut before surrendering a bunt single with two outs in the third inning.
Fairbairn led off the top of the fifth inning with a single to chase Bryant starter Jennifer Jacob from the game. Singler belted the first home run of the season for the Braves, with a two-run blast to center field to push BU's lead to 5-0.
The Bulldogs (0-3 overall) opened the bottom of the sixth inning with back-to-back singles and Ashley Coon later loaded the bases with a two-out walk, but Ore got Talia Zizza to ground out to end the frame and preserve the shutout.
Bradley added three insurance runs in the top half of the seventh. Singler had a one-out single to center and came around to score on a double by senior Jacqueline Vitale (Indian Head Park, Ill./Lyons Township) to give the Braves a 6-0 advantage. Back-to-back two-out singles by Sherman and senior Janay Mitchell (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South) knocked in two more runs as Bradley extended its lead to 8-0.
Ore tossed a scoreless seventh inning as she pitched a three-hit shutout in her first career outing. Sherman finished 2-for3 with three RBI and a run scored, while Singler was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBI.
Bradley returns to action later today when the Braves face tournament host and 23rd-ranked Louisiana-Lafayette at 1:30 p.m.
