INDIANAPOLIS — A rash of injuries has infected the Bellarmine University baseball pitching staff this season, but that didn't stop the Knights' group of hurlers from stifling 17th-ranked Indianapolis in the tail end of a doubleheader that was essentially two games in itself.

The visiting Knights scored three runs in the 15th inning to break a 1-all tie en route to a 4-1 win buoyed by their pitchers in Saturday's finale after BU dropped the first contest 4-3 to the Greyhounds in Great Lakes Valley Conference action.

Sophomore left-hander Hunter Spencer started the second contest for Bellarmine (20-20, 11-7 GLVC) and allowed one earned run on five hits with seven strikeouts in 9.0 innings pitched. Senior right-hander John Hakemoller then came on and pitched 4.0 scoreless innings of relief. Finally, junior right-hander Griffin Caron (1-1) entered and held Indianapolis (26-12, 12-6) scoreless over 2.0 innings.

That trio combined to allow a mere seven hits over 15.0 innings in what was intended to be a 7-inning encounter. The pitching staffs had other ideas, escaping trouble on numerous occasions after the seventh following commanding starts from Spencer and UIndy's Jake Shaw, who also threw 9.0 innings. Bellarmine left nine runners on base from the eighth-14th frames, while UIndy left nine stranded in that same span.

JT Terwilliger (0-1) entered for Indianapolis to start the 15th and immediately walked junior first baseman Nick Wright. After Jeff Lavin relieved Terwilliger, sophomore shortstop Drew Greenwood advanced Wright to second with a sacrifice bunt. The Knights then scored for the first time since the first inning when sophomore catcher Brady Pfaadt delivered a go-ahead RBI single to right center.

Bellarmine didn't stop there. Pfaadt moved up on senior right fielder Tyler Minogue's sacrifice bunt and scored on sophomore designated hitter Chase Martin's double to left center. After another pitching change and subsequent wild pitch, sophomore second baseman Trevor Lines plated Martin after dropping down a bunt single for a 4-1 lead. Caron sealed the win by retiring the side in order in the bottom half.

Senior center fielder Jes Staples, sophomore left fielder Griffin Neuer and Wright had two hits apiece in the tail end. Neuer and Wright both doubled in the first inning to combine for Bellarmine's lone run until the 15th.

Sketchy defense from both squads was a big part of the opener. Only three of the seven total runs were earned. Bellarmine took a 3-1 lead largely on UIndy miscues, but the Greyhounds tied it in the sixth with two unearned runs. Indianapolis eventually won the game on a walk-off RBI single by Macy Holdsworth in the ninth.

Senior left-hander Austin Warner threw 6.0 strong innings for the Knights, allowing one earned run on six hits with five strikeouts in a no-decision. Six different players had one hit apiece for BU.

The two teams will meet at noon (ET) Sunday at UIndy in another doubleheader.

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