SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Bellarmine University baseball team's historic season ended in the Midwest Regional of the DII NCAA Tournament.

On Saturday at Robin Roberts Stadium, the second-seeded Knights were eliminated after a 9-3 loss to fifth-seeded Quincy.

Bellarmine (38-19) put together the winningest season in program history. Quincy (41-17), the GLVC Tournament champion, advanced after recording 15 hits and creating a lot of distance from the Knights after a five-run third built the lead to 7-0.

Junior third baseman Josh Finerty blistered a no-doubt solo homer to left in the fifth and senior second baseman Alex Ralph added a two-run single in the ninth for Bellarmine, which made its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The Knights were edged 9-7 by Southern Indiana in 12 innings and defeated No. 16 Northwood 6-1 before the meeting with the Hawks.

In addition to his seventh homer of the season, Finerty creamed an opposite-field single off the wall in the ninth. Freshman first baseman Jacob Mulcahy laced a single in the first, junior center fielder/pitcher Alex Phillips added a single in the eighth and junior right fielder Zac Wiley singled in the ninth. Ralph notched Bellarmine's final base hit with his shot through the hole in the last inning.

While not overpowering, Quincy starter Aaron Stone (6-2) methodically kept the Knights off balance and off the bases. The left-hander went 8.1 innings and allowed three earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts.

Bellarmine didn't hit many balls squarely early in the game while falling behind and then didn't catch many breaks when it did make solid contact — the Knights had an inning where they lined out, flew out to the warning track and flew out steps away from the warning track.

In his final appearance at Bellarmine, senior reliever Yancey Pritchett struck out both batters he faced in the ninth.

Bellarmine graduates a bevy of seniors who were program cornerstones but does return All-GLVC performers in Finerty, Wiley, Phillips, sophomore right-hander Jacob Nagel and junior left-hander Eddie Mathis, the GLVC Pitcher of the Year.

For more coverage of Bellarmine athletics, follow us on Twitter (@BUKnights), Instagram (BUKnights), Facebook (BUKnights) and the BUKnights mobile app available for iPhone and Android.