LOUISVILLE, Ky.—While the Bellarmine softball team can't lay claim to a victory in its Division I debut, it can say it was victorious on its first day of competition as a DI team.
The Knights opened their 2021 season on Friday at Knights Field hosting Morehead State and Western Michigan in back-to-back games in cold, rainy conditions.
In the opener against Morehead, Bellarmine jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, only to see the Eagles come back with 10 unanswered runs to take the 10-4 win. In game two, the Knights surrendered a lone run in the top of the first, then blanked the Broncos the rest of the way while earning a 4-1 come-from-behind victory.
The first game reflected the day's weather—not pretty. The visiting Eagles committed three errors while surrendering three unearned runs to the Knights. Meanwhile, Bellarmine pitching issued 11 walks to help fuel Morehead's offense.
All four of Bellarmine's runs came in the first inning, but only catcher
Sydney Young drove in a run when she doubled to center field. The remaining three scores came as a result of throwing errors by the Eagles.
Morehead came right back to tie the game in the second inning when they rallied on two outs to plate four runs on just two hits as Bellarmine walked five batters in the frame. The visitors then tacked on five more in the top of the third on two walks and four singles. The Eagles closed out the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth.
Bellarmine's five hits came off the bats of different players with
Hannah Webb,
Alexis Hargrove,
Sarah Ratterman and
Carley Ziegler all joining Young in the hit column.
Western Michigan opened the second game by essentially hustling to a first inning run. Leadoff batter McKenzie Swinehart laid down a bunt that traveled less than a foot from home plate but legged it out for a single. She then took second base before the Knights even delivered the next pitch. Another bunt moved to Swinehart to third, and she scored on a groundout to third.
From there, it was essentially a pitching duel between Bellarmine's
Megan Murphy and Western Michigan's Sydney Stefanick as the game entered the fifth inning with the Broncos still holding a 1-0 lead. After Murphy got out of a bases-loaded jam in the top half of the inning, the Knights made two quick outs in the home half but rallied for four runs. Freshman
Gwen Malecke started the rally with a single to shallow left field.
Grace Werner reached on bunt single and both runners advanced when the throw to first sailed high. Webb then roped a single down the left field line to drive in both runners and give the Knights a 2-1 lead. After Hargrove drew a walk, Young then delivered another RBI hit with single to right, and the Knights finished off the scoring when Hargrove raced home on a passed ball.
From there, the Broncos managed just two baserunners who both drew walks as Murphy finished off her day in the circle with a complete game, 3-hitter.
Bellarmine is back in action on Saturday playing the same two teams. The schedule calls for Bellarmine to play Western Michigan at 1 p.m. and Morehead at 3 p.m.
