KENNESAW, Ga..-- The Bellarmine softball team dropped a pair of games to conference foes in Friday's ASUN crossover action, losing to Florida Gulf Coast University and Kennesaw State University by scores of 7-0 and 7-1 respectively. The games will not count toward the Knights' conference record.
The Bellarmine offense had a chance to take an early lead in the first after a Grace Werner leadoff single and a stolen base followed by a sacrifice bunt by teammate Hannah Webb, but Eagles' pitcher Marissa Mesiemor was able to retire the next two Knights in order and escape the inning without any damage.
Florida Gulf Coast grabbed a first inning lead after leadoff batter Johneisha Rowe reached on a hit by pitch that set the stage for a Reedy Davenport two-run home run. Bellarmine starter Megan Murphy ran into trouble again in the third inning after a pair of singles and a walk brought Eagles cleanup hitter Taylor Bauman to the plate with the bases loaded and nobody out. Bauman promptly blasted a full count pitch over the left-center field wall for a grand slam to give her team a 6-0 lead.
After making her presence felt offensively, Florida Gulf Coast first baseman Taylor Bauman came in to pitch the final frame and retired the side without allowing a baserunner. Meismore got the pitching victory, tossing six shutout innings and striking out four.
In game two against Kennesaw State, Werner again had her team in a position to take an early lead after she reached on a walk and stole second to start the first inning, but the next three Knights were retired in order to put out the threat.
Kennesaw State took the lead after a three-run second inning was sparked by a leadoff walk to third baseman Taylor Cates and back-to-back singles by teammates Katie Greep and Marcela Lopez that loaded the bases with one out. A sacrifice fly by shortstop Faith Alexander brought the game's first run home and a passed ball followed by an RBI single by left fielder Brea Dickey plated two more.
Bellarmine had a golden opportunity to strike back in the top of the third after a pair of walks and an Olivia Bricker double had the bases loaded with nobody out for Knights third baseman Gwen Malecke, who lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to bring in the lone Bellarmine run of the day. Kennesaw State pitcher Lindsey Kyte was able to escape the jam with a strikeout to strand a pair of Knights baserunners.
Holding onto a three-run lead in the bottom of the sixth, Kennesaw State added some insurance after a leadoff walk followed by a base hit by pinch hitter Pacy Villa set the stage for a Brea Dickey three-run home run to give the Owls a comfortable lead going into the final frame.
Kyte got the win in the circle, tossing three innings and giving up just the one run on one hit and walking three Knights. Teammate Peyton Elezy gave the Owls a strong relief effort, going four innings and allowing just two baserunners. Carson Goatley tossed her seventh complete game of the year for Bellarmine, giving up seven runs on eight hits and adding a strikeout.
The Knights (5-20) will see Florida Gulf Coast again tomorrow as well as a matchup with Stetson in day two of the ASUN crossover action with first pitch against the Eagles scheduled for 9:30 Saturday morning.
