LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Bellarmine University softball team (10-15, 2-1) battled but was unable to overcome a big third inning from the Jacksonville University Dolphins (11-15, 1-2), falling 10-5 to conclude its first weekend of Atlantic Sun Conference play.
 
For the first time this weekend, Jacksonville got on the board first, scoring a run in the opening frame of the game, taking advantage of a Bellarmine fielding error while stringing together a hit with good base running to take a 1-0 lead.
 
The Dolphins struck again in the top of the third, this time tagging the Knights for six runs. Jacksonville racked up six hits in the inning, highlighted by a two-run home run to extend its lead to 7-0.
 
Bellarmine finally got on the board in the home half of the third. With one out, freshman Brooke Shewmaker got things going with a hard it single up the middle. After another quick out, junior Chloe Collins kept the inning alive with a walk before fellow junior Megan Konermann laced a double to the fence in left center, scoring Shewmaker and cutting into the deficit, down 7-1.
 
Jacksonville answered in the next at-bat, scoring two more runs in the fourth to push its lead to eight at 9-1.
 
The Knights continued to rally in the bottom of the fourth. Grad student Olivia Bricker led the inning off with a walk, followed by a single off the bat of sophomore Madison Davis. With one out in the frame, Shewmaker stepped in and delivered another base knock, singling to load the bases. Junior transfer Harlie Bickett continued the hit train with a single of her own, scoring Bricker from third for the first run of the inning. Collins followed with an RBI ground out to bring home another run before Konermann tallied her second double of the afternoon, scoring both Shewmaker and Bickett to cap off the four-run inning and put Bellarmine back within striking distance, down 9-5.
 
In the top of the fifth, the Dolphins scratched across another run to extend their lead back to five at 10-5.
 
Shewmaker tallied another single in the sixth, her fourth hit of the day, but the Knights we're unable to complete the comeback, falling 10-5 in the final game of the weekend.
 
Up next, Bellarmine heads to DeLand, Fla. to take on the Stetson Hatters for another three-game ASUN series from Friday, March 22 to Sunday, March 24.
 
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