LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Wednesday's performance may have ranked as the least inspired of the season for the Bellarmine University baseball team, but it contained the ultimate silver lining: The Knights still walked away with a win.

Facing Kentucky State in a nonconference contest at Knights Field, Bellarmine scored two runs in the ninth inning in rallying for a 5-4 victory that marked the Knights' 30th win of the season.

Bellarmine (30-11) had two amazing comebacks in its four-game series against Southern Indiana last weekend, and the Knights needed yet another resurgence to survive a focused effort from Kentucky State (16-17) as the Thorobreds were more than up to the challenge in taking a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the ninth.

Kentucky State outhit Bellarmine 8-6 — including four extra-base hits to none for BU — but the ninth started out promising for the Knights behind a pair of hard ground balls that were much welcomed after a bevy of easy fly-ball outs. Senior shortstop Drew Greenwood made solid contact on a hard grounder that took a wicked hop and bounced over KSU's shortstop for a single.

Two batters later, and with one out, junior right fielder Zac Wiley whipped a single through the left side on an 0-2 count. Senior left fielder Griffin Neuer loaded the bases with a walk after KSU's Jordan Ransom relieved Elijah Collins (1-2).

Kentucky State nearly turned a game-ending 1-2-3 double play, but the throw to first was high as the bases remained loaded with two outs. Ultimately, the tying and winning runs would score without senior second baseman Alex Ralph needing to take a swing. The Knights knotted the score at 4 on a wild pitch and won in walk-off fashion on a passed ball — the end, reflective of the win, was anticlimactic but got the job done.

Bellarmine used a pitcher-by-committee approach, with only junior left-hander Willie Poe throwing more than 1.0 inning. Senior right-hander Duncan Amrein (3-0) was credited with the win after pitching the ninth. Six different Knights recorded one hit.

Bellarmine plays Saturday and Sunday in GLVC doubleheaders at Lewis.

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