EAST PEORIA, Ill. –The Knights faced a roller coaster of emotions on day one of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament on Friday at East Side Centre field.  After starting game one strong with two three-run homers, Bellarmine failed to stop the third-seeded Screaming Eagles of the University of Southern Indiana (34-17) from making a come back and ultimately lost 7-9.  In a quick turn around, No. 6 Bellarmine knocked off No. 7 McKendree (25-29) in the losers' bracket with an 8-2 win as Bellarmine Head Coach Renee Hicks picked up her 500^th career victory. 
 
Hicks has earned 336 of her wins at Bellarmine with the others coming at Lee's College (50), Union College (45) and Allegheny College (69).
 
The Knights (33-25) will take on No. 5 Truman State, who lost to No. 1 Indianapolis, Saturday at noon ET.  For more information, check out the GLVC Championship website.
 
BU 8, MCK 2 (BOX SCORE HTM)
 
Tabby Shewmaker's double to center field got the ball rolling for the Knights in the bottom of the second.  Erica Knollman and Ally Foster both drew walks, pushing Shewmaker to third.  Melissa Hammer's single drove Shewmaker home for the first run of the game.
 
McKendree answered back immediately in the top of the third when two singles and a walk loaded the bases.  Liz Klussman reached on a fielder's choice while Sara Radae made it home to tie the game at one.
 
Bellarmine battled back in the third, tacking on another run off Olivia Russell's double to left and Shewmaker's single to right center.
 
Leading 2-1, the Knights caught fire in the bottom of the fifth.  Pinch hitter Kaitlin Barbiere laid one down to the pitcher and legged it out for a base hit.  Amy Feie's double to center field advanced Barbiere to third.  Back-to-back home runs sparked a Bellarmine scoring spree.  A three-run homer to left from Megan Bretz and a solo homer from Knollman put the Knights up 6-1.
 
Hanna Branch gave the Bearcats a glimmer of hope with a solo, leadoff homer in the top of the sixth, but the Knights couldn't be stopped. 
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Russell drew a walk and advanced on a passed ball.  Rachel Fox's double to right center scored Russell.  Bretz returned the favor with her own double to right that drove in Fox to give the Knights an 8-2 lead.
 
McKendree went three up and three down in the top of the seventh as Madeline Kurtz finished off a complete game, five-hitter to pick up the win.
 
Bretz led the Knights going 2-for-4 with four RBIs including her third home run of her career. 
 
BU 7, USI 9 (BOX SCORE HTM)
 
Not very much offense was produced until the top of the third when Bellarmine drew a pair of walks and Kelly Ely connected for a three-run homer over the left center field fence to give the Knights an early 3-0 lead. 
 
With only one out, Bellarmine remained at bat in the third inning. Russell and Fox both drew walks, and Feie stepped up and slammed another three-run homer, this time to right center field.  The Knights finished the inning with a 6-0 lead.
 
In the top of the fourth, Bretz singled up the middle.  Hammer reached on a throwing error and advanced to second while Bretz made it home to extend the lead to 7-0.
 
Southern Indiana gained traction in the bottom of the fourth when a pitch hit Caitlyn Bradley.  Marleah Fossett put the Eagles' first runs on the board with a homer to left center.  Southern Indiana was unable to close the gap further, finishing the inning with BU leading 7-2.
 
Haley Hodges added to the Screaming Eagles' score with a solo homer in the bottom of the fifth. 
 
The sixth inning spelled doom for the Knights as USI tacked on six more runs, including a leadoff homer from Lexi Reese and a three-run blast from Hodges, which came as Bellarmine was attempting an intentional walk. Southern Indiana took the lead 9-7 heading into the top of the seventh, where Bellarmine was unable to continue play by scoring a run.
 
Feie led the Knights going 1-for-3 with three RBIs on her second homer of the season.  Foster fell to 21-10 on the season in the circle.