MADEIRA BEACH, Fl. – Bellarmine softball opened play at the Make it Happen Tournament on Friday, first taking down UAlbany 4-1 before falling to Binghampton in game two 3-1 to split day one at R.O.C. Park.
The Knights move to 2-6 on the season with today's 1-1 result.
In game one, Bellarmine struck first in the opening frame.
Harlie Bickett opened the game with a single before
Jacklyn Zuege followed with a walk. In the next at-bat, Collins loaded the bases with a single, leading to
Megan Konermann and
Reni Shemwell knocking back-to-back RBI singles to put the Knights up 2-0.
UAlbany was quiet for most of the game but finally answered in the sixth, scoring a run to cut the lead in half, making the score 2-1.
Bellarmine got back to work in the top of the seventh. Zuege led off with a walk before Collins ripped a double to the fence in left field, putting two runners in scoring position with no outs. Konermann promptly brought them both home in the next at-bat, turning in another RBI single to extend the Knights lead to 4-1.
Selena Zuniga would go on to sit the Great Danes down in order in the home half of the inning, striking out the final batter of the game to secure the win.
Claire Lehmkuhler earned her first win of the season with a 5.0 innings of one run ball. She allowed just two hits and struck out three. Offensively, Konermann lead the way with a red-hot four-for-four day at the plate, adding a double and three RBI.
Playing as the visiting team as well in game two, the Knights took to the plate first but couldn't get anything going.
In the bottom of the first, Binghampton tallied three runs, thanks to a sacrifice fly and passed ball, to take an early 3-0 lead.
The Knights finally struck in the fourth. Zuege got the frame going with a walk, followed by a single to the fence in right center by Collins to put runners at first and third.
Kendall Gaddie put herself in a run down during the next at-bat, allowing Zuege to take home and put the Knights on the board 3-1.
Bellarmine couldn't get much going at the plate after that. Shemwell reached base with a one out single in the seventh, but nothing came of it as the game ended 3-1.
Collins put together a two-hit game against the Bearcats, the Knight to do so.
Kelsie Houchens fired 6.0 solid innings in her start, allowing just three runs, one earned, on eight hits with a strikeout.
Up next, Bellarmine will play another two-game slate at the Make it Happen Tournament in Madeira Beach on Saturday, March 1, facing off against Binghampton and Bethune-Cookman.
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