LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Justin Eberenz and Kyle Grana helped the Bellarmine University Knights baseball squid win both games of a doubleheader against Hillsdale College Saturday afternoon at Knights Field. The Knights, who advanced to 5-6 on the season, won 8-1 in the opener and 5-4 in the second game.

Game 1: Bellarmine 8, Hillsdale College 1

Grana (1-1) had a strong outing for the Knights going 5 innings, striking out five and allowing one run to earn his first win of the season.

The Bellarmine offense gave their starter an early lead with two runs in the first inning. Cody Scheler and Andy Gehr each reached base with one out. Kyle Roden followed with a single to right field. The Hillsdale cutoff throw towards the plate was mishandled by first baseman Matt Pochmara, allowing Scheler to score. Phillip Leopold continued the inning with a walk to load the bases. After an Austin Crutcher strikeout, Samuel Burke's chopper to third was handled by third baseman Scott Lantis, but Roden beat him to the base to drive in Gehr.

The Knights sent eight hitters to the plate in the bottom of the first.

Bellarmine added three runs in the bottom of the second. Freshman Jared Forrest reached on an error by Lantis to start the inning. Michael Morrissette then doubled down the left-field line, followed by a Scheler walk to load the bases. Gehr continued the rally with a double down the third base line to collect two RBI. Roden then stepped in and added an RBI groundout to score Scheler and extend the Bellarmine lead to 5-0.

The lead was more than enough for Grana. The Knights starter did not allow his first hit until the top of the fourth. Sean Bennett broke up the no-hit bid with a one-out single to center field. After a strikeout, Bennett forced himself into a rundown to allow Mike Vanchieri to score the only Charger run of the game.

Matt Bayes entered in the sixth for the Knights and pitched two scoreless innings in relief.

Bellarmine added to their lead in the bottom of the sixth. Scheler collected the big hit in the inning with a triple to right center field, driving in Gehr. The Knights tallied three runs in the frame to extend the lead to 8-1.
Scheler was 3-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored for the Knights, who totaled seven hits in the opener.

BOX SCORE

Game 2: Bellarmine 5, Hillsdale College 4

Eberenz's single to right center field drove home Crutcher to finish off the doubleheader sweep for Bellarmine.

The Knights rallied in the bottom of the ninth after relinquishing a 4-2 lead entering the frame. Crutcher and Burke started the inning with base hits. Graham Spencer then laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners into scoring position. Eberenz stepped up next and delivered his second hit of the game on a liner to right center field to secure the 5-4 Bellarmine win.

Morrissette and Crutcher also had two hits apiece for the Knights in Game Two.

Hillsdale took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth. Bellarmine starting pitcher Benjamin Fuchs allowed three hits, two runs, two walks, a wild pitch and a balk in the inning before leaving the game with the bases load and two outs. Justin Strohmeier came on and stranded three men on base with a three-pitch strikeout to end the threat.

Bellarmine answered in the bottom of the fourth inning without recording a hit. Roden drew a one-out walk and then stole second base. He came around to score on two consecutive balks to help the Knights cut the score to 2-1.

The Knights took the lead in the bottom of the sixth to with three runs. Morrissette and Gehr each singled to start the inning. Morrissette came around to score on a wild pitch to tie the game at 2-2. After a Leopold walk, Crutcher drove in Gehr with an RBI single. Leopold scored on a steal of home after a Crutcher rundown to give Bellarmine a 4-2 advantage.

Bellarmine reliever Cory Thomas (1-0) entered in the top of the ninth with the same 4-2 lead. Despite surrendering two runs and three hits in the inning, he earned the win. Thomas stranded the go-ahead runner at third when he induced a groundout to Spencer to end the frame and set the stage for Eberenz.

The Knights bullpen was strong in the second game before the ninth inning. Strohmeier and Jason Sterrett combined to allow three hits and no runs in 4.1 innings for Bellarmine.

Bellarmine returns to action looking for the weekend sweep Sunday afternoon against Hillsdale. First pitch is scheduled for noon at Knights Field.

BOX SCORE