RICHMOND, Ky. — All nine starters collected at least one hit and Drew Buhr delivered a strong start on the mound as the Bellarmine University baseball team rolled to a 15-5 mercy-rule victory Saturday over Eastern Kentucky in ASUN action at Earle Combs Stadium.

Bellarmine (7-12, 2-0 ASUN) clinched the series after amassing 18 hits, which tied for the third most in the three-year Division-I era. The Knights' 15 runs against the Colonels (7-11, 0-2) were the fourth most in the D1 era. BU was credited with driving in runs on all 15 times it crossed the plate, with that 15-RBI figure ranking second in the D1 era.

This was a romp from the get-go. Bellarmine led 3-0 in the first, 5-1 in the second, 8-1 in the third and the advantage was upped to 12-1 in the sixth. The Knights averaged over two hits and two runs per inning.

Junior outfielder Reed Blaszczyk and senior third baseman Colin Bertsch both hammered three-run homers, the former opening up a big lead for Bellarmine and the latter putting the exclamation point on the victory. Blaszczyk went deep in each of the first two games of the series and has a team-high five on the season. Bertsch's round-tripper was his third of the year.

Bertsch and junior first baseman Davis Crane notched three hits and three RBI apiece. Blaszczyk, freshman designated hitter Brady Morse, sophomore right fielder Casey Sorg and senior second baseman Peyton Back tallied two hits apiece.

In the first inning, Morse lined an RBI single and Crane a two-run double as Bellarmine jumped on EKU starter Nathan Lawson, who had allowed only one run in 10.0 innings on the season entering the game. The early onslaught continued in the second and third, as Sorg laced a two-run single in the former and Blaszczyk roped a three-run homer down the line in the latter for an 8-1 lead.

The margin swelled to 12-1 after senior catcher Gabe Bratetic swatted an RBI ground-rule double in the fourth, and senior pinch hitter Will Aubel followed Crane's RBI single with a two-run single in the sixth. Bertsch put the finishing touch on the impressive offensive showing with his three-run blast in the seventh.

Eastern Kentucky scored four runs in the sixth, but that was long after Bellarmine had built a cushy lead. Buhr (2-2) earned the win after allowing five runs on five hits with three strikeouts in 6.0 innings. The run-rule came into effect after senior right-hander Devin Ecklar worked a scoreless seventh.

The teams will conclude the three-game series at 1 p.m. (ET) Sunday.

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