SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The hits kept mounting for the visiting Bellarmine University baseball team on Sunday. The Knights fell 4-3 to Illinois Springfield despite 12 of them in the opener, but they piled up 15 more in the tail end in charging to a 10-4 victory over the Prairie Stars.

Bellarmine (19-17, 10-6 GLVC) split the four-game series with Illinois Springfield (19-16, 8-8), winning the second game each day. In Sunday's finale, the Knights scored twice in the third, four times in the fourth and added three more in the sixth to build an insurmountable lead.

In the capper, senior third baseman Cole Metcalfe concluded a sterling day at the plate by going 3 for 4 with two RBIs. Sophomore left fielder Griffin Neuer was 2 for 5 with three RBIs, and senior center fielder Jes Staples was 2 for 4 with two RBIs while extending his hitting streak to 14 games. Sophomore designated hitter Alex Ralph reached base in all four plate appearances, going 2 for 2 with two walks and four runs scored. Sophomore second baseman Trevor Lines added a 2-for-2 outing, and sophomore catcher Brady Pfaadt chipped in two hits.

Bellarmine matched Illinois Springfield's two runs in the second with two in the third, as Neuer and junior first baseman Nick Wright both delivered two-out RBI singles. The Knights then went ahead for good with a four-run fourth, with the explosion coming after the first two batters in the frame were retired, a theme for BU in the series. Staples and Metcalfe sandwiched RBI singles around a two-run single by Neuer.

Bellarmine tacked on three more runs in the sixth, but things got rolling quickly this time as Ralph and Lines both singled. They eventually both scored on a UIS fielding error, and Metcalfe brought in another run with a sacrifice fly for a 9-2 lead. Ralph doubled leading off the eighth, and Staples drove him in for BU's final run.

Evan McNair (2-3) earned the win after allowing four earned runs on four hits with a career-high nine strikeouts in 7.0 innings pitched. The senior right-hander has shifted back into the starting rotation — his role as a sophomore — after injuries to teammates. Sophomore left-hander Hunter Spencer entered the starting rotation under the same circumstances and recorded Saturday's win.

Senior right-hander John Hakemoller and junior right-hander Will Birch both pitched a scoreless inning of relief, each striking out two.

In the opener, Bellarmine led 3-2 after three innings, but UIS scored twice in the fourth and held off the Knights in securing a 4-3 win. BU junior left-hander Michael Messier (5-4) logged his fourth complete game, allowing four earned runs on eight hits with eight strikeouts in 6.0 innings pitched.

Bellarmine had no shortage of hits in the first game, accumulating 12, but the Knights left eight runners on base in the seven-inning affair. Metcalfe went 3 for 4 with two doubles, freshman right fielder Alex Phillips was 3 for 3 and Wright contributed a 2-for-4 outing that included a two-run double in the first.

Staples moved into 10th place on the career runs scored list with 130, while Metcalfe is one double shy of fifth place (he has 48) on the doubles list. Staples (214) and Metcalfe (212) are now seventh and eighth, respectively, on the hits list.

Bellarmine plays a nonconference doubleheader at 1 p.m. (ET) Tuesday at Kentucky Wesleyan.

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GAME 1 BOX SCORE (HTM)
GAME 2 BOX SCORE (HTM)