LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Bellarmine softball team split a doubleheader on Wednesday evening, playing at Knights Field for just the third day this season.
The Knights defeated UT-Martin 1-0 in game one, earning their second win of the season, and fell to Marshall 17-2 in the second game.
Game One
The story of Bellarmine's victory has one key name –
Claire Lehmkuhler. The sophomore pitched the best game of her career, allowing just two hits over seven innings. Lehmkuhler held UT-Martin's offense hitless through the first 6.1 innings, struck out five, and walked just one batter.
The Skyhawks picked up their two hits in the seventh and nearly tied the game. Kaitlyn Kelley broke up the no-hitter with a double down the right field line and represented the tying run at second base. Annie Gutierrez followed with a single to right field, and Kelly seemed to have an easy turn home to tie the game –
Megan Konermann had other plans. The sophomore made a perfect throw on the fly to
Audrey Magnus at the plate, who tagged Kelly out on a close play. That throw saved the lead for Bellarmine, and a flyout in the next at-bat closed out the win.
The Knights scored their lone run in the first inning, when
Chloe Collins singled to left field and scored
Olivia Bricker. Collins went 2-3 against UT-Martin, while
Alexis Hargrove went 2-2 with a walk. Konermann and
Caitlyn Watson also picked up hits for the Knights.
Along with representing their second win of the year, Bellarmine's victory was its first ever over UT-Martin.
Game Two
Following a 4-1 win over UT-Martin in a neutral site game earlier in the day, Marshall rolled into the final game at Knights Field red-hot. With wins over the Skyhawks and Bellarmine, the Thundering Herd improved to 24-3 on the season and extended their win streak to 14 games.
Marshall scored in all six of its trips to the plate, starting with three runs in the first inning. The Knights got one back with a Konermann double followed by a Collins RBI single.
After four unanswered runs, Bellarmine added its other run in the fourth inning off a RBI single from
Emily O'Dee down the left field line. Marshall added one more run in the fifth, expanding its lead to 8-2. The Thundering Herd's offense sealed the run-rule victory with an explosive nine-run inning in the sixth.
Marshall outhit Bellarmine 17-6 with six extra base-hits, including a pair of home runs.
Collins posted her second straight multi-hit game for Bellarmine, going 2-3 at the plate. Konermann, Hargrove, O'Dee, and
Anna Greenwell also had hits for the Knights.
Elli Jensen and
Abbey Nesnidal pitched for Bellarmine, while Bri Godfrey earned the win in the circle for Marshall.
With impending weather, Bellarmine will now play its series opener against Jacksonville State on Saturday at 1:00 p.m., and a doubleheader against the Gamecocks on Sunday at 11:00 a.m.
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