Box Score PEORIA, Ill. – Compliments of Erin Sireno, the Bellarmine University softball team did in one inning what Rockhurst couldn't do in 13 against No. 9 University of Indianapolis and star pitcher Morgan Foley. And then the Knights did it again and again and again and again.

Behind a record-breaking performance from junior pitcher Alicia Miller and a four-run explosion in the third inning, fourth-seeded Bellarmine roared into the Great Lakes Valley Conference Softball Championship Tournament semifinals Friday with an 8-0 romp over top-seeded Indy at EastSide Centre.

Due to the mercy rule, Bellarmine (36-14) only needed five innings to take care of the Greyhounds (40-10) and advance to meet second-seeded Missouri-St. Louis (43-6) in the semifinals at 1 p.m., CT on Saturday. The Knights opened the tournament early Friday with a 3-0 win over fifth-seeded William Jewell and then dealt Indy its most lopsided loss of the year by three runs.

Both games featured sensational pitching in the circle for Bellarmine.  After sophomore right-hander Ally Foster fired a one-hit shutout over the Cardinals, Miller nearly duplicated the outing of her teammate by limiting the Greyhounds to two hits over five scoreless innings. In the process, the junior southpaw set a new school record by notching the 14th shutout of her career.

Miller (14-8), who struck out two and didn't walk anybody, outdueled Foley (30-5) in a matchup of first-team All-GLVC selections. Before facing Bellarmine, Foley struck out an NCAA-record 30 batters Friday against Rockhurst as the Greyhounds squeaked out a 1-0 win in 13 innings.

Sireno made sure the Knights bested the scoring output of Rockhurst against Foley in the first inning. Batting second, the junior designated player creamed a 2-1 offering from Foley over the fence in center field for her second homer of the year.

Bellarmine, which beat Indy for the third time in five meetings this season, was just getting started. The Knights posted four runs in the third inning off Foley, all with two outs. Junior catcher Scarlett Powers struck first with a two-run double down the left field line. Junior right fielder Hannah Daunhauer followed with an RBI single to right center. Freshman second baseman Olivia Russell then chased Foley with a single to right that was misplayed in the outfield and allowed BU's fifth run to score.

Despite the comfortable advantage, Bellarmine kept attacking in the next inning, this time off of Indy reliever Coryn Tirpak. With one out, the Knights loaded the bases for freshman shortstop Erica Knollman, who delivered a two-run double to right center. Powers then made it 8-0 when she punched an RBI single through the right side.

In an exceptional display of efficiency, Bellarmine scored its eight runs on eight hits. Powers led the way by going 2 for 3 with three RBIs, while Sireno went 1 for 1 and scored three times. Knollman, Daunhauer, Russell, junior left fielder Kayla Padgett and junior third baseman Kelsey Hicks had one hit apiece.