LOUISVILLE, Ky.— After 15 straight games away from home to open the season, Bellarmine softball will play its first games at Knights Field this weekend.

Bellarmine hosts Eastern Illinois and Valparaiso and a round-robin invitational.  While games were originally slated for Friday-Sunday, the schedule has changed to the following dates and times due to forecasted rain on Friday:

Saturday
11:00 a.m. – Bellarmine vs. Valparaiso
1:30 p.m. – Eastern Illinois vs. Valparaiso
4:00 p.m. – Bellarmine vs. Eastern Illinois
 
Sunday
11:00 a.m. – Bellarmine vs. Eastern Illinois
1:30 p.m. – Valparaiso vs. Eastern Illinois
4:00 p.m. – Bellarmine vs. Valparaiso
 
Bellarmine enjoyed quick success at home last season, winning its first two games at Knights Field.  This season, BU currently has four players batting over .300 – Caitlyn Watson (.400), Alexis Hargrove (.320), Anna Greenwell (.308), and Megan Konermann (.308).  Chloe Collins has brought the power for Bellarmine with three home runs and seven RBI to lead the team.

In the circle, the Knights have primarily turned to Carson Goatley, Claire Lehmkuhler, and Elli Jensen.  The trio of Bellarmine pitchers has accounted for 98 percent of BU's innings pitched this year.  The lone other pitcher to toss for the Knights has been Abbey Nesnidal with two innings pitched this season.

This weekend marks Bellarmine's first ever meetings with Valparaiso and Eastern Illinois.  Valpo competes in the Missouri Valley Conference is 1-9 this season in non-conference action.  The Beacons picked up their lone victory against Western Illinois.  They most recently competed at The Spring Games in Madeira Beach, Fla., where they went 0-5.  Valparaiso has faced one ASUN opponent in Eastern Kentucky this season, and fell by a final score of 9-2.  Kayla Skapyak leads Valpo with a .280 batting average this season, while Taylor Herschbach has a team-best four RBI.  Easton Seib leads the Beacon pitching staff with seven appearances and a 4.63 ERA in 35.1 innings pitched.  Caitlyn Kowalski has recorded an impressive 22 strikeouts through 17.1  innings pitched.

Eastern Illinois, out of the Ohio Valley Conference, is 6-8 this season in streaky fashion.  The Panthers lost their first five games at the Incarnate Word Tournament in San Antonio, but responded with six straight wins.  EIU's victories came against Alabama State, Southern, Jackson State, Grambling State, and Memphis.  In their last three games, however, the Panthers have went back on the slide, dropping contests to Akron, Chattanooga, and Western Michigan.  Eastern Illinois is batting a solid .288 as a team, led by Jaylen Prichard with a .386 batting average and 17 hits through 14 games.  The Panthers have tallied 16 home runs as a squad, and Lindy Milkowski has blasted five homers to go along with 10 RBI.  In the circle, Rachel Kaufman has a team best 3.44 ERA, primarily coming out of the bullpen.  The Panthers have used six different starting pitchers this year.
 
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