LOUISVILLE, Ky. ---After splitting six games to open the season at the UAH Charger Chillout, the Bellarmine University softball team will have their opening homestand this weekend by playing host to a three team, round-robin event with Lincoln Memorial and Ashland.

The Railsplitters and Eagles will play first on both days with first pitch at 11:00 a.m., followed by each playing the Knights in a doubleheader. BU will take on Ashland first and then Lincoln Memorial at approximately 3:00 PM.

Bellarmine will hope that the cool weather the area has experienced this week won't affect their hot bats after they hit seven homeruns during the Chillout. Three of those came off the bat of sophomore catcher Scarlett Powers, giving her 10 for her young career.

Megan Murdoch, the program's all-time leader in home runs, also registered a two-run shot in the opener, a 7-5 win over Palm Beach Atlantic. Murdoch finished the week 10-for-19 from the plate (.526) to earn Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Week.
 
From top to bottom the Knights were hitting last weekend, tallying 54 hits, 30 RBIs, and 32 runs scored, putting them in the top five in the GLVC in all three categories. As a team Bellarmine hit .329 from the plate, second best in the league.
 
The Knights will likely use their full stable of pitchers in the circle after all five pitchers on the roster threw last weekend. Sophomore Alicia Miller and Tanner Tevis saw the most action with each picking up a win.
 
Bellarmine played Ashland three times last season, two games in late February and then in the opener of the NCAA Tournament game. The two teams split the early season doubleheader, but Ashland won the tournament game 2-1 when departed senior pitcher Emily Knerem registered 17 strikeouts. While Knerem is gone, the Eagles still return seven full time starters from last year.
 
Bellarmine was scheduled to open the 2012 season against Lincoln Memorial, but inclement weather washed out the game. The Railsplitters have already played 16 games this season, going 9-and-7 with a 5-3 win at No. 12 North Georgia.  Centerfielder Briana Mulkey is as potent of a leadoff hitter as Bellarmine will see as the junior heads into the weekend with a .474 on-base percentage to go along with 18 stolen bases.
 
Live stats for all games this weekend will be available and can be found on www.BUKnights.com.