MIDWAY, Ky. — Bellarmine Sprint Football won in blowout fashion on the road for the second week in a row as the Knights took care of the Midway Eagles 49-15 on Saturday night in the annual Battle for the Bourbon Barrel.  With the win, the Knights improve to 3-0 for the third consecutive year.

It was a quick start for the Knights as Kyle Horvath hit on passes of 10 yards to Tyler Smith and 29 yards to Derrik Gant on the opening drive.  Horvath capped off the drive with a 19 yard touchdown pass to Shannon Tonge to put Bellarmine up 6-0 after a failed two-point conversion attempt.

After the two teams exchanged punts, the Knights forced their first turnover of the game as Royce Hall forced a fumble on a sack and Caleb Murray recovered the ball at the Knights' 46.  Bellarmine was unable to capitalize however, as the Eagles forced three negative plays and a punt before tying the game on a 54-yard touchdown run.  A missed PAT left the game tied at 6-6.

More fumbles ensued in the rainy conditions as Lance Weiter coughed it up on the kickoff and Midway recovered at the Bellarmine 36.  Two plays later, the Knights got the ball right back on their own 26 after another Midway fumble.  After another Knights punt, a sack and a holding penalty backed the Eagles up to their own one yard line on fourth down, resulting in Bellarmine taking possession at the Midway 44.  Faced with a third and eight, Horvath hit Gant for an 11 yard completion to close out the first quarter.

Bellarmine continued to push the ball down the field to start the second quarter as Horvath scrambled for 15 yards and hit Tyler Smith on a 13-yard pass.  After the offense stalled, Furio Burac connected on a 23-yard field goal to give the Knights a 9-6 lead.  After another exchange of punts, Midway took possession at their own 39 with just over five minutes remaining in the half.  The Eagles were able to bleed the clock and drive down to the Bellarmine eight, but the Knights defense didn't break and held Midway to a game-tying field goal as the first half expired.

The Knights set the tone for the third quarter with a three-and-out on defense and another efficient drive on offense, as Brenden Reid broke out a 21-yard run and Horvath hit Tyler Smith for 29 yards to set up first and goal at the Midway two.  After a negative Reid run and a false start, Horvath connected with Tonge again from 10 yards out to give the Knights a 15-9 lead following a missed PAT.

Fumbles reared their ugly head yet again as the Knights forced another three-and-out but nearly turned it over on a muffed punt.  On the first play of their ensuing drive, the Knights did give it up as a bad snap was recovered by the Eagles at the Knights' nine yard line.  Two plays later, Midway tied it up 15-15 following a touchdown pass and a missed PAT of their own.

The Knights seized control from that point forward as Horvath hit Nathan Kitchens for a 21 yard completion on the next possession to move the ball into Eagles' territory.  After another bad snap left the Knights facing a third and 20, Horvath hit Tonge for a 36 yard pass play and Reid rumbled in from 20 yards out to put Bellarmine back up 22-15.

After back-to-back sacks resulted in another Midway three-and-out, Horvath hit Ivan Dutzar for a 55-yard touchdown pass to stretch the lead to 29-15.  On the next possession, Tyree Thomas came up with a sack and Riley McGrath recovered at the Midway 31.  Horvath then hit Kitchens for 27 yards before Gant ran it in on a reverse from a yard out to make it 36-15.  After the defense forced another Midway punt, Horvath hit Kitchens for a 76 yard catch and run score to up the lead to 43-15.  After a Luke Jackson sacked resulted in yet another forced three-and-out for the Bellarmine defense, Jabari Smith took the handoff and ran 83 yards down to the Midway one yard line.  After a false start, Horvath hit Tyler Smith for a six-yard score to put a bow on the evening.

Horvath completed 16 of 26 passes on the evening for 366 yards and five TD passes.  Kitchens led the Knights' receiving corps with three catches for 124 yards and a TD.  Tyler Smith had five catches for 67 yards and a TD while Tonge had three catches for 65 yards and a TD.  Gant had 51 yards on three receptions to go along with his TD on the ground.

Jabari Smith led the Knights on the ground with 89 yards on seven carries, most of which came on his big run in the fourth quarter.  Reid had 48 yards and a TD on eight carries.

Bellarmine's defense was in the Eagles' backfield early and often, accumulating seven sacks on the evening.  Jackson led the way with three and a half sacks, Hall totaled one and a half, and Thomas and Carter Schroer each had one.  Overall, the Knights outgained the Eagles 506-146 in terms of total offense and had 20 first downs to Midway's 12.  Bellarmine averaged 8.9 yards per play and held Midway to just 2.3 yards per play.

Up next, the Knights will have revenge on their minds as they head to Whiting, In. to take on the Crimson Wave of Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind.), the team that beat them in the MSFL Tournament Semifinals last season.  Kickoff is scheduled for 6 PM CT.