LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Matt Higgins launched two homers but visiting Kennesaw State turned back a rally by the Bellarmine University baseball team in completing a sweep of the Knights with an 11-7 victory Sunday in ASUN play at Knights Field.

Higgins, who missed several games due to injury except for very select pinch-hit duty, returned to the lineup for Bellarmine (10-22, 5-10 ASUN) at the beginning of the series against the Owls (22-9, 10-2) and, in the finale, blasted a solo homer in the first and hammered a two-run shot in the ninth. The junior outfielder boosted his season total to six round-trippers in what ostensibly amounts to 16 games.

Bellarmine's offense got going late in the final game. Trailing 8-1, the Knights scored four runs in the seventh as freshman first baseman Noah Nelson had a two-run triple and sophomore designated hitter A.J. Arnold roped an RBI double in the frame to cut the deficit to three.

Bellarmine had runners on second and third with one out in the eighth after junior shortstop Clayton Mehlbauer slammed a double off the center-field wall, but KSU ended the inning with a pair of strikeouts. The Owls then scored three runs in the top of the ninth to put the contest out of reach.

Senior reliever Anthony Ethington had a superb outing for Bellarmine in what amounted to a start. The right-hander racked up 6.0 innings out of the bullpen, and the first 5.0 were scoreless before KSU had a big ninth. Ethington struck out six and kept the Owls at bay while the Knights mounted a comeback bid.

Bellarmine finished with 10 hits. Senior second baseman Justin Rouse collected three while Higgins and Mehlbauer added two apiece.

Bellarmine hosts Murray State in a midweek game at 3 p.m. (ET) Wednesday at Knights Field.

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