LOUISVILLE, Ky. – After a midweek contest against cross-town foe Louisville, the Bellarmine University softball team is in for a quick turnaround as the Knights embark on a five-game weekend at The Spring Games in Madeira Beach, Fl. February 28 to March 2.

Bellarmine will begin the tournament on Friday, February 28 with a game against UAlbany at 11 am E.T. before closing out day one with a contest against Binghampton at 4 pm that day. On Saturday, March 1, the Knights open play at 1:30 pm E.T. against Bethune-Cookman and close the day with a second meeting with Binghampton at 4 pm. The Knights will close out the event on Sunday, March 2 at 11:30 am E.T. against Butler.

The Knights are coming off a 10-0 loss to Louisville on Wednesday night. Offensively, senior Harlie Bickett leads Bellarmine in hitting (.333), doubles (three), RBI (5), runs (5) and stolen bases (four). Fellow senior Megan Konermann is second on the team hitting .294 with a team-high two home runs and five RBI. As a team, the Knights are hitting .171 with 21 runs, eight RBI and seven RBI. In the circle, Bellarmine owns a 6.24 ERA and 1.89 WHIP while allowing a .350 opponent batting average.

UAlbany opened its season at the Charlotte Invitational, losing all five games to begin the season 0-5. In 2024, the Great Danes turned in a 33-14 overall record and went 14-6 in America East Conference play. They ended their season as the America East champions, winning the conference tournament to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament where they ultimately went 0-2 after playing Texas A&M and Penn State. This year, UAlbany was picked to repeat as champions in the America East Coaches' Poll, earning three of five first place votes. The league also released a Preseason All-Conference Team for the first time this year with redshirt senior Kate Powers and sophomore Mary Kate Murray being featured from the Great Danes. Powers ranked third in the conference last season with a 2.41 ERA and second with four shutouts. Murray finished the 2024 season in the top 10 in the conference in RBI (33) and top 20 with five home runs. This season, UAlbany's offense features three players hitting over .300, led by freshman Charlotte Lomb who is hitting a blistering .571. Behind Lomb, redshirt senior Victoria Vilarchao is hitting .364 with two doubles, two RBI and a run while junior Deanna Grahek is hitting .333. Overall, the Great Danes are hitting .223 as a team with three extra-base hits, five runs and three stolen bases. Defensively, they own an 11.16 team ERA, a 3.22 WHIP and are allowing a .385 opposing batting average.

Binghampton has played in two early season tournaments to this point and own a 5-5 record to start the year. In 2024, Binghampton went 33-18 overall and 14-6 in the America East Conference. The Bearcats ended their season in the America East Tournament after falling in back-to-back games. Binghampton was picked to finish second in the conference this season, behind UAlbany, and received two of five first place votes. Five Bearcats were named to the inaugural Preseason All-Conference Team in sophomore Elisa Allen, juniors Brianna Roberts and Emma Lawson, and grad students Lindsey Walter and Briana Santos. Santos has been named First-Team All-Conference two straight years and last season hit .323 with 34 runs and led the league with 17 doubles. Walter is also a two-time All-Conference selection and hit .328 with 32 runs scored last year. Robert's was a First-Team All-Conference honoree last season after winning nine games and led the league in ERA (2.17) and saves (4). Lawson was a 2024 All-Tournament Team selection last season and hit .374 on the year with a .563 OBP and 18 RBI. Allen was named to the 2024 AE All-Rookie Team after launching seven home runs, adding 23 RBI, a .54 SLG and .914 OPS. This season, Santos and Lawson lead the Bearcats' offense, both hitting over .400. Santos leads the team with a .424 average, tallying 14 hits, a double, a triple, four RBI, seven runs and three stolen bases. Lawson is hitting .414 and has recorded 12 hits, five doubles, eight RBI and two runs. In the circle, Roberts picked up where she left off last season and is leading the Binghampton pitching staff with a 3-1 record and owns a 1.16 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. She has turned in two complete games in her four starts and has tallied 13 strikeouts to six walks in 23.1 innings of work. Overall, the Bearcats are hitting .233 as a team and have scored 29 runs with 19 extra-base hits and five stolen bases. They have a team ERA of 2.74 with a 1.34 WHIP and are allowing a .261 opponent batting average.

Bethune-Cookman is off to a 4-13 start to the season. Last season, the Wildcats turned in a 20-32 record and went 16-8 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference and ended their season in the SWAC Tournament with a 2-2 record. Bethune-Cookman was tabbed to finish third in the SWAC's Eastern Division and had four players named to the Preseason All-SWAC Team in senior Halyne Gonzalez (First Team), sophomore Jessica Alaan (Second Team), grad student Thais Uyema (Second Team) and redshirt senior Briana Velazquez (Second Team). Last season, Gonzalez was named the 2024 All-SWAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year and an All-SWAC Second Team selection after tallying the fourth most wins in the league with 14. She also posted a 3.16 ERA with 21 complete games and four shutouts. Uyema hit .295 last year with 36 hits and three doubles. Alaan led the team with 27 RBI in 2024 while hitting .287 with 19 runs. Velazquez was second on the team last year hitting .325 with 41 hits, 10 doubles and a home run. This season, Bethune-Cookman's offense features two players hitting over .300, led by freshman Lydia Stokes with a .333 average. Stokes has tallied seven hits with two RBI, two runs and four stolen bases. Junior Emma Bradley-Tse is second on the team hitting .302 with a team-high 16 hits, adding a double, four RBI, five runs and four stolen bases. Overall, the Wildcats are hitting .189 as a team with 39 runs, nine extra-base hits and 27 stolen bases. In the circle, they own a 4.86 team ERA with a 1.70 WHIP and are allowing a .323 opponent batting average.

Butler is off to a 9-1 start to its season. Last year, the Bulldogs went 23-29 overall and 11-13 in the Big East and ended their season with a 1-2 record in the conference tournament. In the Big East Preseason Coaches' Poll, Butler was picked to finish sixth in the league. The Bulldogs' offense features five players hitting over .300 and is led by two players with an average over .400 in juniors Cate Lehner and Hailey Conger. Lehner leads the team hitting .475 with 19 hits, two doubles, five RBI, nine runs and a team-high seven stolen bases. Conger is second hitting .406 with 13 hits, two doubles, a triple, two RBI, 11 runs and a stolen base. Senior Ella White is hitting .370 on the year with a team-high 12 runs, 12 RBI, three doubles and four home runs. Senior Sydney Carter is fourth on the team hitting .333, adding a double, home run, two RBI and six runs with sophomore Makena Alexander rounding out the top group with a .321 average and a team-high tying four home runs and 12 RBI with two doubles and six runs. As a team, Butler is hitting .333 and has scored 63 runs with 25 extra-base hits and 15 stolen bases. In the circle, Gwen Baker leads Butler's staff with a 3-0 record and 2.49 ERA. Baker has recorded two complete games in her four starts with one shutout and one save in 25.1 innings pitched. She has 22 strikeouts to 10 walks and is allowing a .283 average to opposing hitters. Overall, the Bulldogs own a 3.61 ERA with a 1.40 WHIP and allow a .268 opposing batting average.

For more coverage of Bellarmine athletics, follow BUKnights on X, Instagram and Facebook.