CLINTON, S.C. — Bellarmine softball opened its 2023 season on Friday, and the Knights dropped a pair of games to Toledo and Presbyterian.
 
The Knights (0-2) held an early lead against Toledo (1-1) but fell by a final score of 6-5 in game one.  In the afternoon game, host Presbyterian (2-0) topped Bellarmine 7-0.
 
Game One

The start of the day and the season was encouraging for Bellarmine against the Rockets.  BU batted first and struck first, thanks to a Chloe Collins RBI single up the middle.  Olivia Bricker walked to start the inning and eventually came around to score. 
 
The Knights then added three more runs in the top of the third.  Collins blasted the first Bellarmine home run of the season to left center field to put BU ahead 2-0.   Carson Goatley at DP followed with a walk, and Caitlyn Watson entered as a pinch-runner.  After a steal of second base, Alexis Hargrove brought Watson home with a RBI single to left center.  With two outs and a 3-0 lead, the Knights loaded the bases which set up freshman Abbey Nesnidal's RBI walk – the first RBI of her career.  After the third inning, Bellarmine held a 4-0 advantage.
 
Toledo's rally began in the fourth with a Macey Moore sacrifice fly to score Aubrey Reed.  The Rockets racked up three walks in the inning but managed just one run. 
 
Bellarmine added an insurance run in the top of the fifth with Nesnidal's second RBI of the game.  Hargrove led off the inning with a double and later scored on Nesnidal's RBI single through the right side of the infield.  Heading to the bottom of the fifth, Bellarmine was on top 5-1.
 
Walks continued to aid Toledo as the Rockets loaded the bases with no outs thanks to two walks and a hit-by-pitch.  Riley Mohr singled home a run to make it 5-2 and kept the bases loaded.  Jenna Kroll then came up with the hit of the game, sending a grand slam over the left field fence to put Toledo ahead 6-5.
 
Bellarmine was able to generate just one base-runner in the final two innings, and the Knights fell in their first game of the season.
 
In the circle, Carson Goatley started the game for Bellarmine and churned out four solid innings.  Goatley allowed just one run and struck out three.  Claire Lehmkuhler also made her first appearance of the season, pitching the final two innings.
 
Bellarmine out-hit Toledo 11-6 and drew five walks.  Hargrove went 3-4 with a pair of doubles, while Collins went 2-4 with a pair of RBI.
 
"I am really proud of how we hit the ball," Knights Head Coach Caitlyn de la Haba said after her first game leading Bellarmine.  "Even our outs were hard outs.  We scored in multiple innings, and despite one tough inning on defense, we still had a great chance to win the game in the seventh which is always the goal."
 
Game Two

Presbyterian proved to be a steeper challenge in the afternoon matchup.  The Blue Hose limited Bellarmine to five hits and produced six extra base hits of their own.
 
Presbyterian started hot with a Layna Johnson steal of home to take a 1-0 lead.  Morgan Hess later based a two-run homer to put the home team up 3-0.  A Kelby Goodrum solo home run and Kaitlyn Tucker RBI ground out added two more runs for the Blue Hose in the second inning.
 
Ciara Hanson scored on a wild pitch in the third, and Rebecca Clark hit a RBI double in the fourth to finalize Presbyterian's seven runs.
 
Bellarmine's best chance to score came in the fourth inning, when the Knights had first and third with no outs.  Colins singled to shortstop, while freshman Ellie Alvarez earned her second career hit with a single to right field.  A pair of strikeouts and a fly out to left field ended the threat.
 
Lehmkuhler got the start in game two for Bellarmine and pitched 2.1 innings.  Freshman Elli Jensen made her first career appearance out of the bullpen and went 3.2 innings for the Knights.  Morgan Hess earned the complete game victory with 14 strikeouts in the circle for Presbyterian.
 
Bricker, Collins, Alvarez (two hits), and senior Alyssa Brock had hits for Bellarmine in game two.
 
"We didn't give up when we got down early," de la Haba added after game two.  "The team kept fighting and made some adjustments at the plate.  Our pitchers have to continue to work ahead in counts and limit free passes.  There's a lot of positives to build on from the day, and we are looking forward to tomorrow!"
 
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