BOWLING GREEN, Ky.— Bellarmine softball dropped a pair of games against Central Michigan and Western Kentucky on Saturday at the Hilltopper Classic.
The Knights faced CMU in game one, losing 10-1 (five innings). That concluded pool-play, with BU entering the tournament round with a 1-2 record. The Knights were seeded fourth, pitting them against top-seeded WKU for the second time in as many days. The Hilltoppers prevailed 8-2 and moved to the championship game.
Game 1: Bellarmine vs. Central Michigan
Central Michigan threw an early punch with two runs in the first inning. After three singles and two walks, the Chippewas scraped out the first two runs. Despite the slow start for Bellarmine, it hung around through three innings. BU sliced the lead in half in the top of the third, which started with a Carley Ziegler one-out walk. Anna Greenwell singled to left field, and Olivia Bricker walked to load the bases. Hannah Webb followed with a sacrifice fly to center-field, scoring Ziegler to make it 2-1.
The Chippewas offense burst onto the scene, however, in the fourth and fifth innings. CMU scored three runs off a single and two-run double with two outs. Central locked up the win in the fifth inning with three home runs and an RBI single to score five runs. With a lead of over eight runs after the top of the fifth, that was enough for the victory.
The two hits for Bellarmine came from Greenwell and Alexis Hargrove. Claire Lehmkuhler got the start before Megan Murphy entered later in the first to pitch most of the game. Murphy pitched 4.1 innings. Kaitlyn Bean tossed all five innings for WKU to earn the win.
Game 2: Bellarmine vs. Western Kentucky
In the fourth game of the weekend and first tournament contest, Bellarmine faced top-seeded Western Kentucky. Like BU's previous game against Central Michigan, the Knights kept it very competitive through the first three innings.
Western scored the opening two runs with one in the first and one in the second. Both were of the clutch-variety, coming with two outs.
Bellarmine rallied in the third to tie the game 2-2. The inning started promising with a Sydney Young leadoff walk. Kayla Bauer then singled to center-field, moving pinch-runner Caitlyn Watson to second base. After two consecutive outs, and Greenwell on-base due to a fielder's choice, Bauer and Greenwell advanced to second and third on a passed ball. Webb came up with another run-producing at-bat, driving in two with a double to left-center.
Another big inning for the opposition ultimately did Bellarmine in though, as Western Kentucky totaled six runs in the fourth inning. The Hilltoppers totaled seven hits, including a solo homer to put the game out of reach.
Carson Goatley got the start and suffered the loss, lasting 3.2 innings. Murphy turned in a strong close on the pitching front, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings to end the game.
Bellarmine plays Central Michigan tomorrow in a consolation game at 11:00 a.m. to close out the weekend.
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