CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — The Bellarmine University baseball team secured its fourth straight win in Atlantic Sun Conference play with a 9-6 series-opening victory over Austin Peay on Friday night at Raymond C. Hand Park.

Coming off a sweep of North Florida the previous week, Bellarmine (5-24, 4-6 ASUN) overcame a 3-0 deficit with a five-run fourth against Austin Peay (16-13, 5-5). The Knights maintained a lead the rest of the game.

Bellarmine's offense was quiet early in the contest, but junior left fielder Jacob Rowold got the Knights on the board in the fourth with a two-out, two-run single. Two batters later, sophomore catcher Charlie Rife crushed a go-ahead three-run homer, with his second long ball of the season vaulting BU to a 5-3 lead.

Bellarmine added a run on a passed ball in the fifth and two more in the sixth when sophomore shortstop Luke Scales drew a bases-loaded walk and the Knights plated another run on a wild pitch for an 8-4 advantage. It was 8-5 in the ninth when junior designated hitter Matt Flaherty swatted an RBI single.

Senior right-hander Nolan Pender entered in a bases-loaded jam in the seventh and promptly recorded a strikeout and fly out to end the inning. Pender collected the Knights' first save of the season after 2.2 innings of work.

Freshman right-hander and starter Sam Matherly and senior left-hander Steven Thom tossed 3.0 innings apiece. Thom recorded the win.

Bellarmine's nine hits were spread out. Scales registered two and seven others had one apiece.

The second game of the series is set for 3 p.m. (ET) Saturday.

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