HUNTSVILLE, Ala.—After dropping four close games to open the "UAH Charger Chillout," the Bellarmine softball team finally saw things fall its way as they knocked off Delta State 11-3 in six innings in Sunday's "noon" game then came back and outlasted Christian Brothers 14-8 in a wild, extra inning game.
 
BELLARMINE 11, DELTA STATE 3 (HTM BOX SCORE)
 
The Knights banged out 11 base hits in the game, but much of the damage was self-inflicted by Delta State.  In the pivotal fourth inning when Bellarmine plated four runs, all four were essentially given to the Knights as the DSU pitching staff issued three bases-loaded walks and hit a batter with the sacks full to account for all four runs. An inning later, an error by the Delta State center fielder allowed two more runs to score.
 
But, the Bellarmine offense can be credited with creating those scoring opportunities as eight different Knights registered at least one base hit with Hannah Webb, Rachel Ayer and Sydney Oskin chalking up two base hits apiece in the game.
 
Delta State opened the game's scoring when Lady Statesmen pitcher Mari Alex Sandridge helped her own cause by tripling to drive in Kailyn Lofton, who had drawn a walk. The Knights came right back to tie it in the home half of the second as Ayer doubled and later scored on yet another DSU error.
 
The Knights took their first lead in the bottom of the third when consecutive singles by Webb, Allison Woosley, and Samantha Smith accounted for a run.  Ayer then laid down a bunt that scored Woosley from third and gave BU a 3-1 advantage.
 
After holding Delta State scoreless in the top of the fourth, the Knights extended their lead to 7-1 with a 4-run inning.  After Oskin led off with a single and was sacrifice to second, Grace Werner lined out to make the second out of the inning. However, the Lady Statesmen pitchers then issued six straight free passes to force in four runs.
 
The Knights went right back to work in the fifth as Sabrina Fussenegger and Werner opened with singles.  Webb traded places with Werner by hitting into a fielder's choice, but Woosley lifted a ball to centerfield that the DSU defense misplayed allowing Fussenegger and Webb to score. Ayer then drove in Woosley to close the inning's scoring and stake the Knights to a 10-3 lead.
 
Fussenegger relieved Olivia Knies in the pitching circle to start the sixth and retired three of the four batters she faced to keep the score at 10-3. 
 
Carley Ziegler and Oskin each recorded infield singles to open the bottom of the sixth. Delta State had hopes of extending the game to the seventh inning after recording two straight outs, but Webb delivered a double to left center to drive in Oskin to make the margin eight and end the game.
 
BELLARMINE 14, CHRISTIAN BROTHERS 8 (HTM BOX SCORE)

In a game that saw a combined 22 runs and 34 hits, the contest looked to be a low-scoring affair early. However, both teams gradually and consistently tacked on runs until the Knights exploded for seven runs in the top of the 8th to blow the game open.
 
The first inning was the lone frame that saw no score, and it took Samantha Smith blasting a solo homer in the top of the second to get the scoring started.  The round-tripper was the first recorded by a Knight in the 2019 season and was Smith's second career blast.
 
The Buccaneers came back to tie it in the bottom half of the inning, and the teams went on to trade lone runs in both the second and third innings.
 
The Knights finally got a little breathing room in the fourth when they scored twice and held CBU scoreless to take a 4-2 lead into the fifth inning.
 
Bellarmine added another run in the fifth with Christian Brothers coming back to trim the Bellarmine lead to 5-4 after five complete.  The teams again traded lone runs in the sixth to go into the seventh with the Knights holding a 6-5 advantage.
 
In the seventh, Bellarmine manufactured a run as Webb led off with a single, was sacrificed to second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Smith provided a sacrifice fly to give the Knights an insurance run heading to the bottom of the seventh.
 
Turns out, Bellarmine needed that extra run as the Buccaneers struck for four base hits to scratch across two runs to send the game in extra innings.
 
Playing the international tie-breaker in the Chillout, the Knights started with Paige Werner on second base. Using the strategy to simply get that run across, Ciara Incorvati laid down a sacrifice bunt, and Carley Ziegler drew a walk to put runners at the corners with just one out. Ziegler then stole second to put two runners in scoring position, and Oskin singled up the middle to drive in both runs and give the Knights a 9-7 advantage. From there, Bellarmine used a walk, a ground out, two singles and two Christian Brothers errors to plate five more runs to take a 14-7 lead into the bottom of the eighth.
 
The Buccaneers came out swinging and recorded back-to-back singles to drive in a run, but Bellarmine's  Knies came in from the bullpen and retired three of the four batters she faced to close the door on Christian Brothers and secure the win for the Knights.
 
Oskin paced the Knights offensively, turning in a 4-for-4 game at the plate with four RBIs and two runs scored.  Smith, meanwhile, nearly duplicated that stat line by going 3-for-4 with two runs and four RBIs.
 
Natalie Magnus, who worked two and two-thirds innings in relief of starting pitcher Madeline Kurtz, picked up the pitching win for Bellarmine.
 
The Knights improve to 4-4 on the season with their next action scheduled for the USI Regional Crossover, which includes six games over three days starting on Feb. 22.