KENNESAW, Ga. – A middle innings rally from Kennesaw State spelled the end for the Bellarmine University softball team as they fell 4-2 in the final game of the weekend series at Bailey Park.
The loss drops the Knights to 13-24 on the year and 5-10 in Atlantic Sun Conference play. Today's loss to Kennesaw State marks just the first ASUN series in which Bellarmine did not win at least one game this season. With the win, the Owls improve to 13-29 overall and 5-10 in league play.
KSU opened the scoring for the third straight day, notching a run in the home half of the first inning. The Owls got a runner on with a leadoff walk and eventually brought the run home on an RBI fielder's choice.
Bellarmine answered quickly, getting a run back in the next frame. Leading off the at-bat, junior
Serenity Shemwell swung at the first pitch she saw and crushed a home run to deep left center field to tie the game 1-1. The homer is Shemwell's team leading sixth of the season.
The Knights' offensive effort continued in the third. Junior
Kayla Bauer got the inning started with a single through the left side before advancing to second on a ground out and taking third on a passed ball. With one out, junior
Harlie Bickett sent a fly ball deep enough into right field for a sacrifice fly, scoring Bauer and giving Bellarmine a 2-1 lead.
In the bottom of the third, Kennesaw State took advantage of a Bellarmine throwing error that led to the leadoff batter reaching second to score another run, tying the game at 2-2. The Owls continued to rally, scoring a single run in each of the next two innings, taking a 4-2 lead into the sixth inning.
Bellarmine was unable to get anything else going in the final two innings, losing game three of the series 4-2 on Sunday afternoon.
Up next, the Knights have nearly a week off before they host the Eastern Kentucky Colonels for a three-game ASUN series at home from Friday, April 19 to Sunday, April 21.
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