Fairfield, CT – The SHU softball team racked up 15 hits en route to an 8-2 victory over Fairfield University Thursday afternoon.  Jade Bowins (Frederick, MD) and Liz Tsipouras (Simi Valley, CA) both notched a pair of RBI for the Pioneers.  Taylor Lane (Lisbon, CT) picked up the win in the pitching circle after tossing two innings out of the bullpen.

Fairfield (18-21) plated the first run of the game in the bottom of the second as Alli Wigand hit a solo homer.  That would be the only run allowed by Tsipouras, the SHU starter, who went three innings and allowed just three hits.

Sacred Heart (16-21) started the fourth inning with a single from Carley Rudloff (Queen Creek, AZ) who was sacrificed into scoring position by Justine Sibthrop (Santa Clarita, CA).   Nikki Surkes (Brightwaters, NY) and Alyssa Garza (Santa Clarita, CA) ripped back-to-back singles to turn the inning into a rally with Surkes' hit tying it at 1-1.  Nicole Sidor (West Vancouver, BC) drove a double to right center field to score Surkes while Garza crossed the plate on a Bowins groundout.  Tsipouras rounded out the inning with an infield RBI single to push the SHU advantage to 4-1.

Fairfield inched closer in its half of the fourth with another solo homerun, this time off the bat of Rae Ball.  However, the Pioneers answered right back with a marker in the top of the fifth on a RBI double down the left field line from Garza.  Tsipouras and Rudloff both drove in runs in the sixth inning as SHU extended its cushion to 7-2. 

Bowins accounted for Sacred Heart's final run by knocking a RBI single to right field in the seventh.  Sidor pitched the final two innings for SHU and struck out four batters to seal the Pioneers 8-2 triumph.

Sacred Heart returns to action this Saturday at 1:00 pm for a Northeast Conference double header against Central Connecticut State.  Sacred Heart will host the games at Alumni Softball Field on the campus of Fairfield University.