LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Bellarmine freshman Andy Gehr smashed a 3-1 pitch for a towering home run over the 20-foot left field fence in the bottom of the ninth inning to provide the host Bellarmine Knights a dramatic 8-7 victory over the visiting Campbellsville University Tigers. The home run was the first in the collegiate career for Gehr, a Westfield, Ind., native.
The Tigers had tied in the top of the ninth when Bellarmine closer Cory Thomas hit a batter with the bases loaded then surrendered a walk to erase the Knights' two-run cushion.
In the bottom of the ninth, Trevor Parsons grounded to third to open then inning before Gehr stepped in to take his first swings of the game. Bellarmine Coach Matt Tyner had been substituting freely in the non-conference, non-divisional games, and Gehr—who entered the contest with a .302 batting average—was not in the starting lineup.
Bellarmine played 26 different players in the 9-inning affair, with nine different pitchers seeing action. Offensively, Brian Hockman and Sam Burke had the biggest days with Hockman going 4-for-4 with two RBI, and Burke going 2-for-4 and an RBI.
After a scoreless first inning, Campbellsville opened the top of the second with a home run as Brandon Johnson went deep to left. The Tigers tacked on two more runs as the visitors banged out five hits in the inning.
The Knights tied it in the bottom half of the second. After loading the bases with a pair of hits and a Campbellsville error, Tiger hurler Danny Bright hit Ryan Blackwell and Ryan Pierce on consecutive at-bats to drive in the first two Bellarmine runs. A crisp line drive off the bat of Nathan Greenwell, turned into a double play as the ball was hit directly at the Campbellsville second baseman, who threw to first to easily record the double play. The Knights tied it on the next at-bat, however, as designated hitter Kris Sipes scampered home after a wild pitch.
The Tigers came back to take the lead in the fourth. Campbellsville's Marc Garza looped a ball down the right field line that fell in for a double then a sacrifice bunt moved him to third, and he scored on a grounder to short.
Bellarmine reclaimed the lead with a 3-run fifth inning as Burke and Hockman provided the run-producing hits of the inning.
Campbellsville cut it to 6-5 in the seventh as a third strike with the bases loaded got past Burke for a passed ball. The Knights got that run back in the bottom of the eighth, however, as Mike Morrissette bunted for a single to lead off the inning and scored when Kyle Roden's sharp single to left was misplayed by the Campbellsville left fielder, setting the stage for the dramatic ninth inning.
The win ups Bellarmine's overall mark to 13-8, while Campbellsville—ranked No. 13 in the latest NAIA poll—falls to 23-7.
Bellarmine returns to action this weekend with a 4-game series at home against Great Lakes Valley Conference foe Kentucky Wesleyan. The Knights and Panthers will play doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday with first pitch scheduled for noon both days.
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