LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It was an unconventional close to the Bellarmine Invitational for the Knights' softball team on Sunday.  Bellarmine began the day with the completion of a suspended game, went to extra innings in its second matchup, and ultimately canceled its final game due to darkness.
 
In the finish of the contest that was suspended Saturday night, Bellarmine fell to Eastern Illinois 10-7 in eight innings.  The Knights faced EIU again and dropped another tight battle 5-2 in nine innings.  Bellarmine's final scheduled game of the weekend against Valparaiso would have begun after 5:30 p.m. and was ultimately canceled due to impending darkness.

The Knights picked up the suspended game in the bottom of the seventh inning with a 7-7 score against EIU.  Bellarmine was unable to score in the home half of the inning, and EIU scored three runs in the top of the eighth with a pair of home runs to take a 5-2 lead.  BU was blanked in the bottom of the eighth, and EIU ultimately won the game that began Saturday afternoon.
 
Bellarmine took the field against Eastern Illinois again, just 30 minutes later, and took the Panthers into extra innings. 
 
The Knights struck first in the third inning.  Caitlyn Watson took off for second and was caught stealing, but Addison Kerr raced home from third to give Bellarmine a 1-0 advantage.  Lindy Milkowski answered for EIU in the fourth with a solo home run – her third of the weekend. 
 
Bellarmine took control again in the fifth when Kerr scored an unearned run.  Sydney Young laid down a sacrifice bunt attempt, and ultimately reached on an error, which also allowed Kerr to score.
 
Amber Cieplinski laced a double to right field, however, scoring Milkowski and tying the game for EIU in the sixth.  Both teams were held scoreless in the seventh and eighth, but EIU broke through in the ninth for three runs.  The Panthers totaled two hits and were helped by a Bellarmine error.  EIU held on from there for the win.
 
Despite the loss, Claire Lehmkuhler was very strong in the circle for Bellarmine, throwing over 160 pitches through 8.2 innings.  Lehmkuhler allowed just three earned runs and held EIU to two over the first eight innings. 
 
Olivia Bricker went 2-3 in the leadoff spot for Bellarmine, while Kerr went 2-3 with two runs scored. Kerr's hits were the first of her career.
 
Bellarmine is off until March 16^th, when the Knights travel to Dayton for a doubleheader.  Valparaiso and Eastern Illinois will play another neutral site game at Knights Field at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow to round out the Bellarmine Invitational.
 
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