LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In its final midweek game of the season, the Bellarmine softball team fell 1-0 to Northern Kentucky on Wednesday evening.

NKU managed six hits while the Knights tallied one hit in a pitcher's duel.  

The only run the Norse needed came in the first inning.  Leadoff hitter Ella LeMonier hit a fly ball to left field, and a gust of wind carried it to the warning track for a triple.  During the next at-bat, LeMonier came home to score on a wild pitch.  The Norse had the bases loaded with one out later in the first inning, but Bellarmine escaped the jam with just one run allowed thanks to a 5-2-3 double play.

Northern Kentucky scattered four hits over the next six frames but was unable to provide any insurance for Lauryn Hicks in the circle.

Bellarmine's lone hit off Hicks came in the home half of the third inning when Anna Greenwell slapped a line drive single up the middle.  Megan Konermann and Alexis Hargrove were BU's other base-runners on Wednesday, drawing walks in the first and second innings respectively.

In the circle, Claire Lehmkuhler and Carson Goatley answered the bell.  Lehmkuhler blanked NKU in the second, third, and fourth after allowing the lone run in the first.  Goatley entered in the fifth and tossed three shutout innings with a season-high five strikeouts.

Hicks earned the win for the Norse continuing an excellent stretch.  Hicks has not allowed an earned run over her last 18 innings in the circle.

Bellarmine starts it's final home weekend Friday with an ASUN series opener against Kennesaw State.  First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. at Knights Field.  Friday's game can also be viewed on BU Knights Sports Network with Suzanne Bush on the call.

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