INDIANAPOLIS — In Saturday's tail end of a doubleheader between the Bellarmine University baseball team and No. 17 Indianapolis, plating a run became a monumental task. In Sunday's finale, preventing runs became a difficult endeavor.

Unfortunately for the Knights, Indianapolis scored three of them in the ninth inning to rally for a 15-14 victory and the Sunday sweep as the Greyhounds captured the opener, 3-1, in Great Lakes Valley Conference action.

Bellarmine (20-22, 11-9 GLVC) dropped three of four in the series against GLVC East co-leader UIndy (28-12, 14-6), with the 4-1 victory coming in 15 innings in Saturday's second game that was largely dominated by pitching and defense.

Sunday's capper was also hotly contested but in a different manner. There were a whopping nine home runs in the game, with senior center fielder Jes Staples, sophomore left fielder Griffin Neuer, senior third baseman Cole Metcalfe and sophomore shortstop Drew Greenwood going deep for Bellarmine. Colin Hawk and Macy Holdsworth smacked two each for UIndy.

Bellarmine entered the bottom of the ninth leading 14-12, but Dylan Jones tied it up with a two-run homer. There were no outs at the time, and Indianapolis went on to load the bases with two outs, with Staples accounting for one when he gunned down the potential winning run on a play at the plate. Unfortunately for the Knights, the winner still came across, forced in when Hawk was hit by a pitch.

It was an anticlimactic end to an eventful game. Bellarmine scored five runs in both the third and seventh innings. Indianapolis posted five innings in which it scored either two or three runs.

Both teams did major damage with the long ball. Staples took the team lead in homers when he launched his fourth, a two-run drive to right field in the third. The All-GLVC outfielder entered his senior year without a dinger but has become a threat to leave the ballpark.

Neuer then tied Staples when he delivered his fourth home run of the season, a solo shot to right center in the fourth. Metcalfe went back-to-back with Neuer when he creamed a solo drive to left for his second round-tripper. Greenwood led off the fifth with his first collegiate homer, blistering the ball out to left center.

Greenwood also doubled twice, finishing 3 for 4 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Neuer was 3 for 5 with three RBIs and three runs scored, while Staples was 3 for 6 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Metcalfe added a pair of hits and runs scored.

Sophomore catcher Brady Pfaadt accounted for two of Bellarmine's six hits in the opener. Pfaadt drove in Bellarmine's lone run with an RBI double in the second. Indianapolis responded with all three of its runs in the third and held on for the win.

Junior left-hander Michael Messier collected his fifth complete game for Bellarmine, allowing three earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts in 6.0 innings pitched.

Bellarmine will host doubleheaders against Wisconsin-Parkside on Saturday and Sunday. First pitch both days will occur at noon (ET).

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