ST. LOUIS--The Bellarmine softball team dropped a pair of close games on Saturday, falling to Missouri-St. Louis 2-1 in the opener and 6-3 in the second game as the Tritons repelled comeback efforts in both contests.

The first game resembled yesterday's opener against Maryville in which the Knights got a solid pitching performance from starter Sabrina Fussenegger but failed to provide much offensive support. Today, Fussenegger gave up just six hits, but three were in succession as UMSL plated two runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 2-0 lead. 

Bellarmine tried to mount a rally in the top of seventh, but came up just short.  Rachel Ayer led off the final at-bat with a double and advanced to third on Allison Woosley's sacrifice bunt.  Fussenegger then delivered a sacrifice fly to trim the Triton lead in half.  Then, the Werner sisters (Grace Werner and Paige Werner) hit back-to-back singles, but UMSL hurler Andee Tiffee recorded a game-ending strikeout to preserve the win.

The Knights got on the board early in game two to take a lead, but UMSL's four-run third inning proved too much for Bellarmine to overcome.

Hannah Webb opened the game with the single, but was out at second as Carley Ziegler reached on a fielder's choice. Samantha Smith then smacked a double down the left field line to score Ziegler. 

After blanking the Tritons in innings one and two, the Knights took a 2-0 lead in the top of third as Sydney Oskin led off with a double and came around to score when Ziegler also doubled. 

The Tritons opened the home half of the third with four straight base hits with the Knights not recording an out until an UMSL runner was cut down at the plate trying to score from second on a single to right field. Despite the baserunning mistake, the Tritons went on to score four runs on five hits and three bases on balls in the inning. 

Bellarmine battled back to get within 4-3 in the top of the fourth on an unearned run, but UMSL closed out the scoring in the bottom of the fourth on a solo homer and a pair of doubles to extend its lead to 6-3..

The Knights had one last gasp in the top of the seventh as Joelle Zielinski and Webb singled to bring the tying run to the plate, but the Tritons escaped with a fielder's choice and a fly out to close out the Knights.

With the sweep, Missouri-St. Louis improves to 16-14, 5-3 GLVC while the Knights slip to 13-16, 2-6 GLVC.

Bellarmine returns to action next Saturday and Sunday when they host Quincy and Truman State in doubleheaders beginning at noon.

Game 1 HTM BOX SCORE 

Game 2 HTM BOX SCORE