INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. --- The Bellarmine University softball team will head into next weekend's Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament with momentum after splitting a Sunday doubleheader at second-ranked Indianapolis, winning the finale 3-1.
The split caps an impressive weekend for Bellarmine (31-15, 21-15 GLVC) after sweeping St. Joseph's on Saturday. Even with the loss Indianapolis (44-7, 28-6 GLVC) will go into the conference tournament as the top seed and the GLVC Regular Season Champions.
Game 1: No.2 UIndy 4, Bellarmine 0
The Knights could not figure out the Greyhounds' ace pitcher, Jennifer DeMotte, in the opener, collecting only two hits in the game. Two of those hits came off the bat of first basemen
Lauren Summe, including a double in the third inning.
Alicia Miller pitched well for the Knights, but got in trouble in the fourth inning, giving up three hits including a three-run home run to Cori Eckerle. It would be all the offense that UIndy needed, taking the game 4-0.
Box Score
Game 2: Bellarmine 3, No. 2 UIndy 1
Summe again had the hot bat in game two as her three-run homer in the fifth proved to be the difference, guiding the Knights' upset of the Greyhounds, 3-1. In the season's final week, Summe, a senior from Cincinnati, led by example as she went 12-22 (.545) from the plate with five runs scored and five RBIs including a pair of home runs.
The decisive homer, Summe's eighth of 2012, was set up by back-to-back singles by
Scarlett Powers and
Erin Sireno. Bellarmine outhit the Greyhounds, 6-4, with Summe and Powers leading the Knights with two each.
In the circle,
Amanda Meyer pitched brilliantly, striking out seven while only giving up four hits to earn her 16th win on the season. UIndy's loan run was a solo shot by Casey Williamson in the sixth. UIndy's Audrey Enrst took the loss after pitching 5.1 inning.
Box Score
Bellarmine will now turn their focus towards the postseason. The GLVC Tournament will begin on Friday at the Eastside Centre in Peoria, Ill. Seedings have yet to be determined with several makeup games from games that were rained out being scheduled for Tuesday.
