ST. LOUIS—The Bellarmine Knights baseball team swept a doubleheader with Missouri-St. Louis by eking out a pair of come-from-behind, extra inning victories over the Tritons, winning the opener 6-5 in 10 innings and triumphing 2-1 in game two.
GAME 1
In the opener, the Knights had their backs against the wall, but rallied after being behind 4-2 with two outs and no one on in the top of the ninth. After Braxton Graven and Nick Riganti hit back to back singles, David Weinstein walked to load the bases. Zachary Blanchard was then hit by a pitch to make it 4-3, and Todd Duckworth drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the tying run. The Tritons got out of the inning when John Lyons struck out to end the inning.
In the bottom half of the inning, Bellarmine closer Cory Thomas surrendered a lead-off walk, but after a fielder's choice, he got a double play to get out of the inning unscathed.
In the Knights's 10th, Chris Wiedmar got a one-out bunt single, then stole second after Brady popped out. Graven was intentionally walked and Riganti got an infield single to load the bases. Anton Garcia , who had entered as pinch runner for Weinstein in the ninth, came on to get the big two- out, two-RBI single to put the Knights ahead 6-4.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Tritons tried to mount a comeback. They scored a run with three singles, but Thomas registered a game-ending strikeout with runners on second and third.
Riganti was the offensive leader in game one, going 4-for-5, and Graven scored three runs and was 2-for-4 for the game.
Box Score
GAME 2
Game two of the doubleheader was a pitchers' duel that Bellarmine won when Kalvin Scheler doubled home pinch runner Michael Morrissette in the top of the 8th inning.
Graven pitched a gem for the Knights, allowing just one run on three hits and faced just four batters over the minimum. After given the lead, Graven mowed down the Tritons 1-2-3 in the bottom of the eighth to record the complete game victory.
Despite Graven's outstanding performance, the Knights went into the final inning facing a 1-0 deficit. Patrick Brady opened the top of the seventh with a double to right center, and Riganti knocked him in with a one-out single to right center to knot the score at 1-1.
Wiedmar and Brady both went 2-for-4 in game two to lead the Knights.
Box Score
Bellarmine improves to 9-12 on the season, and are now 2-1 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. Missouri-St. Louis falls to 3-12, 0-2.
Next up for Bellarmine is Southern Indiana. The Knights and Screaming Eagles will meet in single game on Wednesday, March 17 at 2 p.m. at Knights Field.
