DUNCAN, S.C. – A dramatic home run-robbing catch by Bellarmine center fielder Melissa Hammer preserved an extra inning 2-1 victory over the Armstrong State Pirates (11-6) Saturday in the Mid-South Classic played at Tyger River Complex.  Carley Tysinger, who was named National Fastpitch Coaches Association Pitcher of the Week last week, teamed with Caroline Turner to hurl a combined no-hitter against the Knights giving No. 7 Catawba College a 6-0 win in game two.
 
Game 1 BU 2, ASU 1 (BOX SCORE HTM)
 
Ally Foster tossed a two-hitter over 10 innings to beat Tori Bates and the Pirates in a classic pitcher's duel.  Neither team scored in the regulation seven innings, so officials used the international tiebreaker rule, which places a runner on second to start each inning.
 
Bellarmine, the visiting team on the scoreboard, broke through for the game's first run in the eighth inning.  Starting the inning on second base, pinch runner Rachel Fox advanced to third on Hammer's ground out and came around to score on Kelly Ely's single to right field.
 
In the bottom half of the inning, the Pirates scored in a similar fashion with the runner at second advancing to third on a grounder and then scoring with a two-out single to left field off the bat of Peyton Roth.
 
Neither team was able to create any offense in the ninth inning.  The Knights took the lead in the top of the tenth as Allison Woosley scampered home after an Armstrong State error.
 
With a runner advancing to third off a sacrifice bunt, Armstrong's Autumn Parrish stepped to the plate with two outs. Her slam to center field that would have won the game was snagged by Hammer just before the ball made it over the fence.
 
Foster struck out 10 Pirates while Bates allowed only five hits, striking out 10 batters as well.
 
Game 2 BU 0, CC 6 (BOX SCORE HTM)
 
Caroline Turner drew first blood in the top of the first leading off for the Indians with a single to center field.  She advanced to second after a ground out, which put her in position to score as Gina Gerone singled to right field.
 
The Knights went three up and three down each inning until Tysinger lost the perfect game when she walked Hammer in the bottom of the fourth.  However, Bellarmine was unable to capitalize.
 
Catawba extended its lead in the fifth when Gerone hit a bases-loaded single that drove in Holli Chandler and Turner.  The Knights remained unable to answer Catawba's scoring in the home half of the fifth inning.
 
Catawba tallied its final three runs in the top of the sixth, and maintained its perfect record (11-0).  Turner stepped in the circle to relieve Tysinger late in the sixth and helped the Indians go the distance.  The two finished the game with a shocking 14 strikeouts, 10 of which came from Tysinger over five innings pitched.
 
Madeline Kurtz got the start in the circle for the Knights, working four and a third innings and recording two strikeouts.  She was saddled with the loss (0-3), while Marlee Tevis stepped in and for three and two-thirds inning of relief work, surrendering just one earned run.
 
Bellarmine (9-9) will take on the No. 22 North Georgia Nighthawks at 10 a.m. and the Queens University of Charlotte Royals at noon Sunday in the final day of the Mid-South Classic.