CARROLLTON, Ga. – Bellarmine softball closed out its opening weekend of the 2026 on Sunday, falling 13-8 to Georgia State at West Georgia's University Softball Field.

The Knights (0-5) spent the first three days of the season playing in the UWG Opening Weekend Event.

Georgia State (5-0) scored three runs in the game's opening frame before blowing the contest open in the second with eight more runs to take an 11-0 lead.

The Panthers tacked on two more runs, scoring one each in the fourth and fifth innings to extend the lead to 13-8.

Still hitless through four, the Bellarmine offense finally woke up in the fifth. Junior Morgan Williams led the frame off with a single through the right side. From there, the Knights battled to load the bases with two outs as senior Madison Davis stepped to the plate. Having launched her first career home run on Friday, Davis upped the ante with a grand slam today, putting the Knights on the board. Immediately after, sophomores Lauren Guthrie and Peyton Arnold kept passing the baton as Guthrie ripped a double before Arnold brought her home with a two-run blast to cut into the deficit, down 13-6. The fun didn't stop there as sophomore Lele Bennett and Williams reached base, leading to a two-run double off the bat of senior Jacklyn Zuege, cutting the Panther lead to just five at 13-8.

Unfortunately for Bellarmine, the rally came too late as the Knights ran out of innings before completing the comeback, falling 13-8 in the weekend finale.

Up next, Bellarmine will hit the road again for another MTE, traveling to Chattanooga, TN for the Chattanooga Challenge February 13-15.

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