LOUISVILLE, Ky. — North Alabama turned back the Bellarmine University baseball team's attempt at an epic comeback as the Lions secured an ASUN series sweep with a 16-11 victory Sunday at Knights Field.
North Alabama (9-25, 3-12 ASUN) led 14-3 in the middle of the sixth inning but ultimately sweated out the win over the Knights (10-26, 5-10), who roared back to within three in the eighth after back-to-back big innings.
The stirring comeback bid was ultimately stifled when North Alabama's Drew Hudson launched a two-run homer in the ninth to restore a five-run cushion. It was the fourth home run of the contest for the Lions and surprisingly was much needed after UNA had seemingly broken the game open with a seven-run fifth.
Junior first baseman
Davis Crane whacked a solo homer in the first for his third homer of the season, and senior center fielder
Will Aubel cranked a two-run shot in the fourth for his fifth round-tripper of the year, but the Knights still trailed 14-4 after scoring once in the bottom of the sixth.
Bellarmine showed life with a four-run seventh. Junior designated hitter
Reed Blaszczyk and senior second baseman
Dylan Byerly both had one-out RBI singles, with Blaszczyk also scoring on the latter after an error in the outfield. Freshman shortstop
Luke Scales drove in another run on a fielder's choice.
Bellarmine kept coming in the eighth. The Knights loaded the bases with no outs and scored three runs after freshman center fielder
Paul Osting forced in a run on a hit by pitch, Byerly punched an RBI single and freshman catcher
Charlie Rife lofted a sacrifice fly as BU rallied within 14-11.
Missed chances would bite Bellarmine. The Knights had runners on second and third with one out after Rife's sac fly but couldn't add any more runs. The bases were loaded in the seventh when UNA got the last out, and BU left 12 on base for the game. In addition, all four of the Lions' runs in the third inning were unearned, which ultimately loomed large.
Both teams banged out 15 hits, and all nine starters had at least one for Bellarmine. Byerly went 4-for-4 with two RBI while Blaszczyk was 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Aubel was 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Bellarmine plays at 5 p.m. (ET) Tuesday at Morehead State.
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