Knights eliminated from GLVC Tourney with losses to Truman State, Rockhurst

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 EAST PEORIA, Ill.—The Bellarmine University softball team made an early exit from the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship Tournament after losses to Truman State and Rockhurst on Friday at the EastSide Centre. The Knights struggled offensively all day as they only managed three runs in 14 innings of softball, and only one of those runs came as a result of a Bellarmine RBI.

In the opener, which featured the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds, the Bulldogs of Truman State plated three runs in the bottom of the third and held on for a 3-1 victory. Bellarmine's lone run came in the top of the sixth when Ally Foster blasted her 36th career homer over the left center field fence to establish a new BU mark for all-time home runs.

The loss sent the fifth-seeded Knights to the "loser's bracket," where they faced eighth-seeded Rockhurst in the elimination game. The Knights got on the board quickly when a pair of errors by the Hawks allowed Kelly Ely to score the game's first run in the top of the first inning. The Knights extended it to a 2-0 lead with another run in the top of the sixth as Ely scored again on a Rockhurst error.

However, the Knights saw their lead erased in one swing of the bat when pinch hitter Caroline Lipp connected on a 1-2 pitch for a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth.

Bellarmine got a runner in scoring position in the top of the seventh, but she was stranded at second when Rachel Fox hit a hard shot back up the middle that deflected off pitcher Bridgette Sappington, who was able to collect the ball and throw to first for the final out of the game.

On the day, Bellarmine collected just six hits in 14 innings. Foster was 2-for-2 in the Truman State game with Fox and Marlee Tevis also picking up hits. Against Rockhurst, only Hannah Daunhauer and Amy Feie were able to notch base hits.

In the circle, Alicia Miller got the start against Truman State, going two and third innings and being charged with all three runs. Foster relieved and pitched the final three and two-thirds without surrendering a run and striking out six. The right hander went all six innings against the Hawks and was charged three earned runs while suffering her fourth loss of the season to go with 17 wins.

The Knights drop to 32-16 on the year, and now must await a decision from the NCAA on their postseason future. Bellarmine entered the GLVC Championship ranked No. 8 in the Midwest Region, which places them "on the bubble" as theoretically the top eight get in the NCAA Tourney. The NCAA Division II Softball "Selection Show" will be webcast on NCAA.com on Monday at 10 a.m.

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Players Mentioned

#1 Hannah Daunhauer: OF; 5' 10"; Senior; R/R

#22 Kelly Ely: INF; 5' 5"; Sophomore; R/R

#16 Amy Feie: INF; 5' 10"; Junior; R/R

#32 Ally Foster: P/OF; 5' 6"; Junior; R/R

#23 Rachel Fox: U; 5' 5"; Sophomore; L/L

#12 Alicia Miller: P; 5' 8"; Senior; L/L

#10 Marlee Tevis: P/INF; 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#1 Hannah Daunhauer
: 5' 10"; Senior; R/R
: OF

#22 Kelly Ely
: 5' 5"; Sophomore; R/R
: INF

#16 Amy Feie
: 5' 10"; Junior; R/R
: INF

#32 Ally Foster
: 5' 6"; Junior; R/R
: P/OF

#23 Rachel Fox
: 5' 5"; Sophomore; L/L
: U

#12 Alicia Miller
: 5' 8"; Senior; L/L
: P

#10 Marlee Tevis
: 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R
: P/INF

Bellarmine University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned