Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Bellarmine University baseball team took a pair of wins against Great Lakes Valley Conference travel partner McKendree University, 8-2 and 9-2, on Tuesday afternoon at Knights Field.
 
Recaps of the games are below:
 
GAME ONE: Bellarmine 8, McKendree 2
 
The Knights got off to a hot start, scoring two runs in the first inning and never looked back in the nine-inning opener.  Reigning GLVC player of the week Austin Crutcher went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a pair of runs batted in, while Jes Staples, Phil Leopold, and Graham Spencer each had multi-hit games.
 
Starter Jason Sterret allowed two hits and no runs in four innings, while striking out six Bearcat batters.  Evan McNair (W, 2-0) came on in relief and mowed down four in three innings to earn the decision.  Justin Strohmeier struck out three in the ninth inning in a non-save situation.
 
McKendree starter Ben Dallesasse (L, 1-2) gave up five earned runs off of nine hits in 5.2 innings pitched, while designated hitter Rob Beatty scored both of the Bearcats' runs.
 
GAME TWO: Bellarmine 9, McKendree 2
 
Bellarmine faced an early deficit when the Bearcats scored in the first inning off a Beatty sacrifice fly, but responded with a four-spot in the bottom half in the seven-inning getaway game.  Staples had the highlight of the inning with an RBI single to right field that scored Michael Morrissette.  Staples finished the game 3-for-4 with two runs and added another RBI in the fourth inning.
 
Spencer went 3-for-3 with an RBI single in the first inning, and scored off a Nick Hladek double two batters later.  Andy Gehr (2-for-2) was the other Knight with multiple hits, and was pinch hit for by Ryan Pierce in the fifth inning.
 
Curtis McCombs (W, 1-1) picked up his first win in a Bellarmine uniform, shutting out McKendree (11-11, 6-8 GLVC) in three innings of relief for starter Austin Warner.  Strohmeier once again pitched a complete ninth inning in a non-save situation.
 
Travis Blumhorst (L, 0-1) lasted just one inning, allowing two earned Knights runs off four hits.
 
Bellarmine (14-9, 9-3 GLVC) returns to the diamond on Saturday at Knights Field for a four-game weekend series with current GLVC East Division leaders Lewis University.  First pitch is scheduled for noon.