LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The first pitch of the 2018 Bellarmine University softball season came when the mercury on the thermometer read just 28 degrees.  Unfortunately for the Knights, it never heated up much—either figuratively or literally—as Bellarmine dropped both games on the opening day of play, falling 10-4 to Findlay and 5-2 to Lincoln Memorial.

In the opener, the Oilers plated four runs in the top of the first to establish dominance early.  After the leadoff batter was retired, Findlay designated player Kelley Cejer blasted a 1-1 offering from BU starting pitcher Madeline Kurtz over the left center field fence. The Oilers would go on to hit for cycle in the first inning—adding a single, double and triple—as eight batters were sent to the plate.

The Knights got one back in the bottom of the first as Lillie Nitzken delivered an RBI single, but Findlay extended its lead to 8-1 with another 4-spot in the top of the third.

Again, Bellarmine answered with a lone run in the bottom half of the inning.  The Knights loaded the bases with a single and a pair of walks then Paige Dabney's grounder drove in BU's second run of the game.

Findlay tacked on single runs in the fourth and sixth inning to extend the lead to eight, but Bellarmine scored in the bottom of the sixth when Katie Stamper led off with a walk and came all the way around to score on Ciara Incorvati's double to right.  The Bellarmine run sent the game to a seventh inning where senior third baseman Marlee Tevis ended the scoring when she slammed a solo homer to left center.

In the second game, the Knights again fell victim to a four-run inning to get in a hole early. This time, it came in the top of the second with the big blow coming off the bat of No. 9 hitter Audrey Petoskey, who drilled a homer down the left field line to drive in three of Lincoln Memorial's runs. 

The freshman catcher struck again in the fifth inning, smoking a line drive that traveled well beyond the wall in left center but barely had the altitude to clear the fence. That homer put the Railsplitters ahead 5-0, and this time Bellarmine had no answers. The Knights were limited to just one hit over the first six innings.

Bellarmine finally got to LMU pitcher Brianna Taylor in the seventh when Nitzken, Rachel Ayer and Stamper banged out three singles in a row and Incorvati delivered a sacrifice fly to make the final score 5-2.

The Knights' next action will come at the Charger Chillout 2.0, which is held February 9-11 and hosted by Alabama-Huntsville.  The "Chillout" will provide Bellarmine with six games over three days.

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BU-UF BOX SCORE (HTM)

BU-LMU BOX SCORE (HTM)