LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Despite a trio of two-run homers, the Bellarmine University baseball team fell 15-9 to Central Arkansas in ASUN play on a frigid Saturday at Knights Field.

Central Arkansas (6-11, 1-1 ASUN) evened the series at 1-all with Bellarmine (3-16, 1-1) after combining for 10 runs in the eighth and ninth innings. The Bears racked up 16 hits, and the Knights also hurt themselves by walking nine.

Central Arkansas' run and hit totals were that much more impressive considering that Knights sophomore lefthander Gavin Braunecker was perfect through three innings. The Bears' offense came alive, though, and scored one run in the fourth, two each in the fifth and sixth and five each in the eighth and ninth.

Senior left fielder Matt Higgins, senior right fielder Jacob Mulcahy and junior third baseman Peyton Back all launched two-run homers for Bellarmine. Higgins smacked his fifth home run of the season in the third, Mulcahy cranked his second of the year in the fifth and Back deposited his second of this campaign in the ninth.

Higgins' blast followed an RBI double by senior shortstop Clayton Mehlbauer and provided Bellarmine a 4-0 lead in the third. After Central Arkansas got to within 4-3, Mulcahy's smash pushed the Knights' advantage to 6-3 in the fifth.

Bellarmine still held a 6-5 lead heading into the eighth, but Central Arkansas plated five to surge ahead. The Knights loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom half but managed only one run in the inning, and the Bears piled up five more runs in the ninth.

Higgins went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, two walks and three runs scored. Mulcahy also tallied two hits and two RBIs.

Bellarmine and Central Arkansas will conclude the series at 1 p.m. (ET) Sunday at Knights Field.

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