Fisher’s perfect game propels Bruins to victory

CLERMONT, Fla. -- Kelli Fisher struck out Savannah Weaver for the final out to notch her second career perfect game, leading the No. 22 Bellevue University softball team to an 8-0 victory over Spring Arbor University in the first of two games today at THE Spring Games.

The Bruins have been on fire over their last nine games, winning seven times to even their record at .500 with a mark of 7-7 on the campaign. Spring Arbor falls to 7-7 with their second loss to BU in the last week.

Fisher (5-5, 1.71) followed up yesterday's one-hitter against Trinity International by holding Spring Arbor without a base-runner, striking out eight hitters on the afternoon. She has now struck out 23 batters against no walks. With the shutout she extends her streak of consecutive innings without allowing an earned run to 22.0 innings.

Fisher becomes the first Bruin in program history to record multiple perfect games in her career. Her previous perfecto came in a 8-0, five inning victory over Cardinal Stritch on Mar. 21, 2014.

Bellevue put themselves on the scoreboard first when, in the third inning, Erin Sharpe jumped all over an offering from Kelsey Brown and launched a two-run home run over the left field fence to put the Bruins up 2-0.

The Bruins tacked on another pair of runs in the fourth courtesy of a run scoring error and a successful squeeze bunt by Alex Tooley that scored Sarah Zeleny.

Bellevue plated an insurance run in the sixth inning. Sayde Woten led off with a single to center and pinch-runner Sydney Robertson advanced to second on sac bunt by Katie Franzen, stole third, and scored on Tooley's sac fly.

For good measure, BU struck again in the seventh. Kayla Young led off with a walk and Emily Gigax followed up with a two-run homer of her own over the left field fence. Zeleny provided additional insurance when her single plated Kaitlyn Goney who had doubled one batter earlier.

Bellevue is back on the diamond at 1 p.m. local time (noon CT) when they play Purdue-Calumet.