LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Junior hurler Aaron Deatherage threw seven innings of shutout baseball as Bellarmine University defeated the Lewis Flyers 5-2 this afternoon at Knights Field in a Great Lakes Valley Conference contest.
Braxton Graven went two for three and drove in two runs to pace the Knights at the plate.
The game was a defensive battle most of the way with Bellarmine (28-22, 16-11 GLVC) getting out of two bases loaded jams, while the Flyers recorded three double plays to help keep the Knights' 13-hit attack in check.
The Knights drew first blood, rallying for two run with two outs in the bottom of the third. Junior John Lyons reached on error to keep the inning going, then Kalvin Scheler doubled and Michael Morrissette singled to plate the game's first two runs.
Bellarmine tacked on one run in the sixth and another in the seventh, both on RBIs by Graven to take a 4-0 lead into the eighth.
Deatherage departed after seven innings of shutout baseball, and the Flyers rallied for two runs in the top of the eighth off Graven, who made a rare relief appearance. The crafty lefty battled through the inning and got out of a bases loaded jam when Lewis' Mike Vucsko grounded out to first to end the inning.
The Knights added an insurance run in the bottom half of the inning as senior Nick Riganti doubled to start the inning, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Zachary Blanchard sacrifice fly.
Bellarmine freshman Cory Thomas pitched a scoreless ninth to record his GLVC-leading 12th save of the season.
The game was the Knights' home finale. Bellarmine travels to Kenosha, Wisc., this weekend to face the Rangers of Wisconsin-Parkside in a 4-game set.
BOX SCORE
Prior to the game, Bellarmine and Lewis had to complete the final inning and a half left from last night's game, which was halted by rain. Neither team scored, as the Flyers finished off the 13-7 victory.
BOX SCORE
