COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Tech defeated the Bellarmine University baseball team 8-1 Sunday at Averitt Express Baseball Complex to secure the season-opening series against the Knights.

Bellarmine (1-2) won the opener 11-3, but the Knights offense stalled thereafter as BU produced only one run in each of the last two games against Tennessee Tech (2-1).

Bellarmine also faced steep deficits early in the latter two games. On Sunday, Tennessee Tech delivered a five-run first inning, scoring all five after the first two batters struck out, including a three-run homer. The Golden Eagles tacked on three more runs in the fifth.

Tennessee Tech had the two big innings, but Bellarmine had several strong relief performances around them. Freshman right-hander Sam Matherly supplied 3.0 scoreless innings, sophomore right-hander Tyler Talbert tossed 2.0 shutout frames and sophomore right-hander Ben Tedesco added a scoreless inning.

Bellarmine scored its run in the second inning when junior second baseman Andres Castro tripled and sophomore third baseman Brady Morse followed with an RBI double. Castro collected two of the Knights' six hits.

Bellarmine will play at 4 p.m. (ET) Tuesday at Evansville.

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