Bridgeport’s Vanessa Mullen fires in a pitch on Monday during the Bulldogs’ OVAC 2A semifinal victory over Shadyside at the I-470 JB Chambers Sports Complex. Mullen pitched a complete game and earned the win inside the circle. Photo by Jeff Campbell

WHEELING — The Bridgeport Bulldogs have made their way to the OVAC 2A championship game– and blew the doors open to get there.

The Bulldogs defeated Shadyside 10-0 in six innings on Monday at the I-470 JB Chambers Sports Complex in their conference semifinal, advancing to the 2A title game which is to be held on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Lisa’s Field inside the I-470 Complex.

“My team showed up to play today,” Bridgeport head coach Hannah Boyer said. “They came here and they knew what they had to do, knew we had to hit the ball and play good defense and that’s exactly what we did.”

Bridgeport’s offense and defense were both clicking on Monday.

Vanessa Mullen pitched the full six innings for the Bulldogs, striking out two and issuing zero walks. Her defense was in top form behind her, including first baseman Jayde Carman who turned an inning-ending unassisted double play in the top of the third. With a runner on first and one out, Shaydside’s Kamryn Parker shot a line drive down the first base line, which Carman plucked out of the air before stepping on first to double up the runner who’d advanced away from the bag.

Bridgeport’s offense was methodical, scoring in every inning save the first. Carman lifted a two-run home run over the centerfield fence in the second to break open the scoring. Addie Snodgrass shellacked two doubles and drove in two, Hanna Brewer and Vanessa Mullen each hit doubles as well, Brewer’s driving in one and Mullen’s driving in two. McKayla Plants tallied three base hits and an RBI, and Rowyn Herman also collected an RBI.

Shadyside finished with four hits– two singles from Kaylie Warnock, and one base hit apiece from Kamryn Parker and Ali Weatherson.

Brewer ended the game in the bottom of the sixth by shooting a hit to center field, scoring Katie Jackson from second base.

“Bridgeport came to hit the ball today,” Shadyside head coach Robert Gorrell said. “They wanted it. We didn’t play our game today, we didn’t hit the ball. Big games like this, you’ve got to play hard, you’ve got to be in the game with them. We let it get away from us. Credit to Bridgeport, they played hard and they’ve been good this year.”

Bridgeport, the two-seed in the four-team 2A playoff field, will play top-seeded Caldwell for the championship. Caldwell defeated the River Pilots 4-3 on Monday.

“They have to do what they did today,” Boyer said of her team going into the championship game. “We have to stay confident, we have to believe we can do exactly what we did today– hit the ball, pitch well and play good defense, that leads to wins.”