ROLLA, Mo.—The Bellarmine University softball team hit the road for its first Great Lakes Valley Conference games away from Knights Field this season, but the road was not kind to the Knights as Missouri S&T swept today's twin bill by the scores of 4-0 and 5-3.
Bellarmine slips to 13-17 on the season and 1-5 in the league play.
In the opener, the Knights put only six runners on base as Miners pitcher Avery English hurled a two-hitter while issuing just one walk and hitting a batter.
Olivia Russell and
Rachel Ayer collected Bellarmine's only base hits.
Bellarmine Freshman
Sabrina Fussenegger pitched a solid game for the Knights, allowing just four hits, but one of those hits was a two-run homer. The Miners' other two runs were produced by way of sacrifice flies.
In the second game, Bellarmine increased its offensive production to six hits, but the Miners banged out nine to take the win.
Bellarmine's first two runs of the game didn't come until the sixth inning, and they came in an unusual manner. Trailing 2-0 entering the inning, the first two Bellarmine batters were retired before pinch hitter
Paige Dabney reached on an error and Ayer followed with a single to put runners on first and second with two outs. Russell then strikes out swinging, but the ball gets away from the catcher, who then compounds the problem by making a throwing error, allowing
Erica Knollman (who re-entered in Dabney's spot) and Ayer to score and tie the game at two apiece.
The Miner' catcher, Kelly Heckemyer, more than erased her mistake in the bottom of the sixth, however, by smacking a three-run homer to give S&T a 5-2 lead.
In the top of the seventh, singles by
Katie Stamper,
Kelly Ely and Knollman produced a run, but the Knights' comeback attempt fell short as a grounder to third with runners on first and second ended the game.
Today's doubleheader was moved from Saturday to Friday due to weather concerns, but the Knights' twin bill at Drury is still scheduled for Sunday.
GAME 1 HTM BOX SCORE
GAME 2 HTM BOX SCORE
