ROMEOVILLE, Ill. — In its most explosive and timely performance of the season, the visiting Bellarmine University baseball team piled up a staggering 34 combined hits in a 16-9 and 10-2 sweep of Lewis on Friday in Great Lakes Valley Conference play.

With the two wins, Bellarmine (23-23, 14-10 GLVC) moved into third place in the GLVC East with one day left in the regular season. Lewis (25-20, 14-12) dropped to fifth. Eight teams advance to the GLVC Tournament.

Bellarmine's 34 total hits were spread evenly over the two games. In the opener, the Knights were clinging to a 3-2 lead after six innings when they erupted for four runs in the seventh, four in the eighth and five in the ninth.

Bellarmine simply picked up right where it left off in the tail end. The Knights ambushed the Flyers with three runs in the first, three in the second and two in the third in steamrolling to the sweep.

There were standouts aplenty on Friday. In the initial game, sophomore shortstop Drew Greenwood went 4 for 5 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Sophomore designated hitter Alex Ralph was 3 for 5 with four RBIs, freshman right fielder Alex Phillips was 2 for 4 with three RBIs and junior first baseman Nick Wright was 2 for 3 with two runs scored. Sophomore second baseman Trevor Lines chipped in two hits, as did senior third baseman Cole Metcalfe, who racked up four runs scored.

In Friday's finale, Metcalfe, Wright and senior center fielder Jes Staples — who are all playing their final regular-season series — combined to go 10 for 14 with six RBIs and nine runs scored. Wright launched a homer and finished 3 for 5 with three RBIs. Metcalfe went 4 for 5 with two doubles, four runs scored and three RBIs, and Staples was 3 for 4 with three runs scored and his 13th stolen base. In addition, sophomore catcher Brady Pfaadt went 2 for 4 with two RBIs while Greenwood and Phillips chipped in two hits apiece.

Junior left-hander Michael Messier (6-5) won the opener after throwing 7.2 innings and striking out eight. Junior right-hander Will Birch sewed up the win with 1.1 innings of relief.

Sophomore left-hander Hunter Spencer (6-2) accumulated his fourth complete game in the tail end after allowing two earned runs with six strikeouts in 7.0 innings pitched.

Bellarmine will play another doubleheader at Lewis on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. (ET).

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