Box Score LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- Eight Bradley players scored or drove in a run and senior Amanda Clack (Hillsboro, Hillsboro) picked up her first career shutout in the circle for the Braves to help BU to an 8-0 victory against preseason Horizon League favorite Cleveland State Friday to open play at the 21st annual Troy Cox Classic. Clack also helped with her bat, going 2-for-3 with three RBI.
Sophomore Julie Sherman (Hickory Hills, Ill./Stagg) singled and Jackie Roth (Hickory Hills, Ill./Stagg) was hit by a pitch, before senior Janay Mitchell reached on an error to load the bases for Bradley in the second inning. Clack drove in the first runs on the contest with a two-out single to plate Sherman and Roth as the Braves took an early 2-0 lead.
The Braves (4-2 overall) broke the game open with a five-run third inning to take a 7-0 lead. Junior Brittany Fairbairn (Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East/Kankakee C.C.) singled and advanced to second on an error to open the frame. Senior Jacqueline Vitale (Indian Head Park, Ill./Lyons Township) drew a walk and freshman Taylor Cox (Greeley, Colo./Andover Central [Kan.]) singled to load the bases. Sherman drove in a pair of runs with a single, but Cleveland State threw out Cox at the plate for the second out of the inning.
Roth knocked in Sherman from third with a single to right field and stole second. Senior Lindsay Watkins (Hopedale, Ill./Olympia/Parkland C.C.) ripped a single down the left field line to move Roth to third base and she came around to score on a bunt single by Mitchell. Clack capped the inning with an RBI single to shortstop to drive in her third run of the game and give Bradley a 7-0 advantage.
The Braves added another run in the bottom of the fourth inning, when junior Kate Singler (Witt, Ill./Nokomis/Heartland C.C.) belted her second home run of the season to lead off the inning and push Bradley's lead to 8-0. The Vikings got out a jam as BU loaded the bases with two outs, but the Braves were unable to add to their lead.
In addition to helping pace Bradley's offensive efforts, Clack retired Cleveland State in order in the fifth inning to close out a complete-game one-hit shutout. She struck out four and walked two, while improving to 2-1 on the year Sherman finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI as Bradley's 5-6-7 hitters combined to go 7-for-7 with four runs scored and three RBI.
The Braves roughed up defending Horizon League Pitcher of the Year Amanda Macenko for 12 hits and eight runs (six earned) in three and one-third innings in Cleveland State's season opener.
Bradley returns to action at 1:30 p.m. when the Braves face St. Mary's (Calif.) to wrap up the first day of play at the Troy Cox Classic.
