LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Bellarmine baseball used a relentless offensive effort to outslug Northern Kentucky 15-12 on Tuesday afternoon at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex.

The Knights piled up 15 runs on 13 hits, with production coming throughout the lineup in a back-and-forth contest that featured multiple lead changes early before Bellarmine pulled away in the middle innings. 

Bellarmine struck first with three runs in the opening inning, but Northern Kentucky answered quickly to tie the game. The Knights responded again in the second, highlighted by a three-run home run from Charlie Rife — his second of the season — to push Bellarmine back in front. 

After NKU evened the score at 7-7, Nick Gnardellis gave the Knights the lead once more with a solo home run in the third, his first of the year. 

The game tightened again in the fifth as Northern Kentucky rallied to tie it at 10-10, but Bellarmine delivered the decisive blow in the sixth inning. Luca Hoerger drove in a run with a single before AJ Swader followed with a two-RBI hit to put the Knights ahead for good. 

Bellarmine added insurance later in the game and held off a late push from NKU to secure the win. The victory marked the Knights' second straight win over Northern Kentucky, following last week's 7-6 walk-off victory at Knights Field.

At the plate, AJ Swader led the way with three RBIs, while Gnardellis scored three runs and collected two hits. Rife also drove in three runs, and multiple Knights recorded multi-hit performances in the offensive outburst.

Bellarmine returns home to Knights Field for an ASUN series against Lipscomb, beginning Thursday and continuing through Friday and Saturday.

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