CLARKSVILLE, Tenn.— The Knights softball team played its second day at the Governors Classic on Saturday, resulting in two losses against Northern Illinois and Northern Iowa respectively.

NIU took game one by a final score of 10-7, while Northern Iowa defeated Bellarmine 4-1 in game two.

Game 1: Bellarmine vs Northern Illinois

Bellarmine's offense had its best game of the invitational against the Huskies on Saturday afternoon, but ultimately came up short.  NIU used a massive third inning, scoring six runs, along with three runs in the sixth to generate almost all of its runs.

The Knights struck first, however, in the home half of the first inning.  Alexis Hargrove singled to right field with one out, and Hannah Webb blasted her first home run of the season over the left field fence to put Bellarmine up 2-0.

BU held Northern Illinois scoreless going into the third, but that is when the Husky bats woke up.  NIU used three walks, a double, triple, and home run to put a six-spot on the board and take a 6-2 advantage.

Bellarmine showed fight, however, rallying in the home half of the third.  The Knights used the long-ball again, as Hargrove hit a two-run blast to center field to score Grace Werner and make it 6-4.  Hargrove's homer was the third of her season – a team-high. 

Northern Illinois pushed across three more in the top of the sixth to make it a 9-4 game, but Bellarmine had another answer scoring three of its own runs in the bottom half.  A sacrifice fly from Carley Ziegler to score Olivia Bricker was followed by a Caitlyn Watson run – scoring on an error.  Webb's RBI double to score Hargrove made it 9-7. 

NIU scored an insurance run in the seventh, and Bellarmine was unable to bring the tying run to the plate in the final half inning.

Hargrove finished the day with a team-best three hits and two RBI, while Webb racked up two hits and a team-high three RBI.

Megan Murphy, Carson Goatley, and Claire Lehmkuhler all threw for Bellarmine, while Emily Dato got the win in relief for NIU.

Game 2: Bellarmine vs. Northern Iowa

Game two was more defensive, with two total runs coming in the first five innings. 

UNI scored those two runs in the third inning.  Mya Dodge hit a sacrifice fly to score Maggie Erpelding, and Madison Parks hit a RBI single to center field to put UNI up 2-0.

The Panthers would also score the next two runs, with an Emmy Wells solo home run in the sixth and another RBI single from Parks in the seventh.  UNI led 4-0 going into the final half inning.

With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Ziegler doubled to left field to score Caitlyn Watson.  Werner followed with a single, but Ziegler was thrown out at home to end the game.

Two of Bellarmine's three hits came in that final inning.  Werner went 2-4 for the game.

Lehmkuhler pitched all seven innings for Bellarmine, while Samantha Heyer earned the win in the circle for Northern Iowa.

Bellarmine will try to end the weekend with a win against Austin Peay at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday.  All the action can be viewed on ESPN+

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