LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Bellarmine University softball team came through with a crucial sweep in a pivotal doubleheader against Great Lakes Valley Conference opponent University of Southern Indiana (23-11, 11-3 GLVC) on Tuesday afternoon at Knights Field.
Ally Foster led the Knights in the circle and at the plate in the game one 8-3 win.
Kelly Ely provided the offensive punch with two three-run homers in game two to send the Eagles packing.
The Knights (19-19, 8-6 GLVC) look to carry this momentum into the weekend action against St. Joseph's College Saturday at Knights Field starting at noon. Bellarmine travels to Indianapolis for more conference play Sunday against UIndy.
Game 1 BU 8, USI 3 (
HTM BOX SCORE)
Kelly Ely led off the bottom of the second with an incredible 14-pitch at bat that included 11 foul balls and culminated with her getting hit by a pitch. After
Olivia Russell was walked,
Rachel Fox doubled them both home to give Bellarmine a 2-1 lead.
Melissa Hammer followed Fox's lead and legged out a double after her soft line drive just cleared the outstretched glove of the USI shortstop in short left field. She later scored on
Katie Stamper's grounder to shortstop.
USI remained unable to find an answer as Bellarmine poured on the runs, adding another in the bottom of the fifth for a 4-1 lead.
The Screaming Eagles' Haley Hodges smacked a two-RBI homer, which clipped the fair ball pole in left field, to close the gap to one run. But the Knights were in full stride by the bottom of the sixth. Fox singled up the middle and advanced to third on
Megan Bretz's double to right. Thinking she had been walked, Foster trotted to first only to be brought back for another pitch, which she smacked out of the park to extend the lead to 7-3. After being walked, Stamper scored on Russell's double to put Bellarmine out of reach of Southern Indiana.
Foster picked up another win in the circle, improving to 12-5, striking out seven batters and allowing only six hits. She also went 3-for-3 at the plate, tallying three RBIs and scoring two runs. Fox went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
Game 2 BU 8, USI 1 (
HTM BOX SCORE)
Southern Indiana couldn't stop Ely in game two. With Bretz and Stamper on base with a single and walk respectively, Ely drilled a home run to left center field and gave the Knights an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
Hodges picked up another homer in the top of the third, giving USI its only run of the game. With the Knights back at the plate in the third, Hammer singled to the shortstop. Stamper reached on a fielding error, which allowed Hammer to advance to third. Ely stepped to the plate and smoked another three-run homer, this time to center field, to put BU up 6-1.
A walk to Knollman and doubles for Bretz and Foster tallied the final two runs for the Knights in the 8-1 victory over the Screaming Eagles.
Madeline Kurtz struck out four batters and allowed only five hits while recording the complete game victory. Ely led the Knights going 3-for-3 at the plate, hammering in six RBIs and two runs of her own. Bretz went 2-for-4, tallying an RBI and two runs.
