EVANSVILLE, Ind.—Although the Knights couldn't have gotten off to a much slower start, Bellarmine closed with three straight wins to pull out a 3-3 record in the Midwest Region Crossover held at Deaconess Sports Complex in Evansville, Indiana.
 
The Knights opened the Midwest Crossover on Friday with a pair of lackluster performances, getting run-ruled by Northwood  and Saginaw Valley. On Saturday Bellarmine dropped an 8-4 decision to Truman State before claiming its first victory in the event by knocking off Hilldale 9-5. Sunday was virtually a complete reversal from the opening day as the Knights did not surrender a run in defeating Ferris State and Ohio Dominican.
 
The 3-3 finish in the Crossover leaves the Knights with 9-9 record overall this year.  Bellarmine begins a 10-game homestand on Saturday as they welcome Kentucky State to Knights Field for a doubleheader beginning at noon.
 
 
DAY 1
 
NU 10, BU 0 (HTM BOX SCORE)
In the opener, Bellarmine went hitless for the first four innings, before finally breaking through for a pair of singles in the bottom of fifth inning, but still couldn't push a run across the plate. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves had banged out 14 hits, including three homers to put up 10 runs.
 
SVSU 8, BU 0 (HTM BOX SCORE)
The Knights came back against the Cardinals of Saginaw Valley in the second game, but results were virtually the same.  Bellarmine managed just three hits and went scoreless in six innings, while SVSU connected for 13 hits with the final hit knocking in the eighth run in the bottom of the sixth to end the game.
 
DAY 2
 
TNU 8, BU 4 (HTM BOX SCORE)
After going scoreless on the first day of the Crossover, the Knights didn't have to wait long for their first run on Day 2 as Rachel Fox led off the bottom of the first inning against Trevecca Nazarene with a solo homer. Unfortunately for the Knights, the Trojans already had a 2-run homer on the board, so Fox's blast trimmed the lead to just 2-1.
 
The long ball produced three more runs in the bottom of the third for Bellarmine with Erica Knollman smacking her third homer of the year and Katie Stamper following two batters later with a 2-run shot to give Bellarmine a 4-2 lead.
 
The Knights took that 4-2 lead into the sixth inning, but the Trojans erupted for five runs in the top half of the inning to wrestle the lead away.
 
After Bellarmine stranded a baserunner in the home half of the inning, Trevecca added another run in the top of the seventh to extend their lead to 8-4.
 
The Knights got runners on the corners in the seventh, but failed to plate another run as the Trojans held on for the 8-4 victory.
 
BU 9, HC 5 (HTM BOX SCORE)
For the first time in the Crossover Tournament, the Knights drew first blood in the game as BU held Hillsdale scoreless in the top of the first and put up one run in the bottom of first as Kelly Ely doubled and later scored on a grounder by Knollman.
 
After retiring the Chargers in order in the top of the second, Bellarmine came back in the home half of the inning with four runs to move out to a 5-0 lead. Ely's 2-runn double was the big hit of the inning as Bellarmine collected five base hits in the frame.
 
Although the Chargers charged back with four runs in the top of the third, Bellarmine answered by scoring three times in bottom half to extend its lead to 8-4. Marlee Tevis, Rachel Ayer, Fox and Ely all contributed base hits to the Bellarmine rally.
 
The Knights added another run in the bottom of the fourth, and then the offense cooled down. However, the defense was up to the task, allowing just a single run in the top of the sixth as Bellarmine held on for the 9-5 victory.
 
DAY 3
 
BU 2, FSU 0 (HTM BOX SCORE)
After suffering through lopsided games and near-slugfests, the Knights finally found themselves in a pitchers duel to start Sunday's action. Fortunately for the Knights, it was a duel won by Bellarmine's Marlee Tevis as the junior right hander hurled a complete game, three-hitter. Sam Bates also went the distance for Ferris State, but took the loss after surrendering two runs and eight hits to the Knights.
 
Tevis also supplied the game-winning RBI in the second inning. After Katie Stamper led the inning off with a double and stole third, Tevis' single up the middle drove in the first run of the game. Bellarmine tacked on another run in the second when Kelly Ely's fly ball to left was deep enough t to score Rachel Ayer from third.
 
From there out, it was all "goose eggs" on the scoreboard as Tevis pitched around six walks, while the Knights managed just for more hits the rest of the way.
 
BU 9, ODU 0 (HTM BOX SCORE)
Bellarmine wasted no time in getting out to a lead against the Panthers.  Ely led off the game by doubling down the left field line and came around to score after a sacrifice bunt and a throwing error by the Ohio Dominican catcher.
 
The Knights added another run in the third after Knollman singled and Stamper doubled her to third.  Another miscue by the Panther catcher allowed Knollman to score.
 
Bellarmine blew the game open in the fourth when they plated six runs on just four hits.  The big blows for the Knights included a two-run double by Ely and two-run homer by Stamper. 
 
Ciara Incorvati provided the Knights another run when she led off the top of the fifth with a solo homer to give the Knights a 9-0 lead.
 
Meanwhile, BU pitcher Sabrina Fussenegger and the Knights defense were cruising along without allowing an ODU base runner past first base. However, in the bottom of the fifth, the Panthers opened with a single and a double to put runners on second and third with nobody out. Three consecutive pop-ups killed the would-be ODU rally, and the Knights "run-ruled" the Panthers 9-0.