Titans Open Florida Trip With Shutout Win
Sara Brunlieb pitched her seventh career shutout and the UW-Oshkosh softball team scored all of its runs in the fifth inning as the Titans defeated Elmhurst College (Ill.), 7-0, on Saturday (March 19) in Clermont, Fla.
Brunlieb (3-1) scattered six hits in notching her second shutout of the season. Brunlieb, who recorded three strikeouts and walked three Bluejays, has not allowed a run in her last 16.1 innings pitched.
Six of UW-Oshkosh's seven runs in the fifth inning were unearned. The Titans launched two home runs and capitalized on a pair of Elmhurst College errors in the decisive frame.
Lauren Torborg provided the eventual game-winning run with a leadoff home run to left field off of Bluejays starting pitcher Stephanie Sturino.
UW-Oshkosh (4-1) followed Torborg's homer with a single by Kaitlyn Krol and a double by Taylor Loew to end Sturino's outing. Elmhurst College relief pitcher Val Perrelli hit the first Titan she faced, Elizabeth Fonk, to load the bases with no outs.
After Elmhurst College recorded an out at the plate, Bluejays third baseman Mikalya Melone committed consecutive errors that allowed UW-Oshkosh to extend its lead to 4-0. Pinch runner Brianna Witter crossed the plate for the second Titan run, and Haley Bayreuther and Elizabeth Fonk both came in to score on Melone's second miscue as Hayden Krueger was credited with her 100th career run batted in on the play.
Abby Menting capped the seven-run outburst with a one-out, three-run home run to right-center field.
The Titans loaded the bases again with one out in the fifth inning, but Elmhurst College relief pitcher Stefanie Sanidas recorded a strikeout and a groundout to end the threat.
Both teams had runners thrown out at home by the center fielder to end their halves of the third inning. Elmhurst College's Bri Getzloff threw out Fonk at the plate in the top of the frame, while Krueger gunned down Getzloff in the home half of the inning.
Elmhurst College had its leadoff batter reach base to start the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings before loading the bases with two outs in the seventh. UW-Oshkosh preserved the shutout by stranding a Bluejay at first base in the fifth inning and recording a double play in the sixth and a groundout to end the game.
Erika Berry, Krol and Torborg each had two of UW-Oshkosh's 10 hits. The Titans collected five extra-base hits, including doubles by Berry, Torborg and Loew.
Brianna Thompson went 3-for-3 with a double to lead Elmhurst College (1-2).
Sturino took the loss for the Bluejays, allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits and one walk in four-plus innings pitched.
Perrelli lasted just one-third of an inning, yielding four unearned runs on two hits and two walks, while Sanidas pitched 2.2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
UW-Oshkosh's scheduled game against the University of Chicago (Ill.) on Saturday was canceled due to rain.
The Titans will put their three-game winning streak on the line against Illinois opponents North Central College and Millikin University on Monday (March 21) in Clermont.