LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Bellarmine secured its third straight ASUN series win with a 14-10 victory over Eastern Kentucky on Saturday, using a late offensive surge to pull away in a back-and-forth contest.

The Knights wasted no time getting on the board, plating two runs in the opening inning before Eastern Kentucky answered with four in the bottom half. Bellarmine continued to chip away offensively, scoring in five different innings while staying within striking distance throughout the game. The Knights battled back to tie the game multiple times, including at 7-7 and again at 9-9, before breaking through late.

After trading runs through the middle innings, Bellarmine broke the game open late. A pivotal seventh inning saw the Knights' offense surge, as AJ Swader drove in two with a double, Jake Bell followed with an RBI single, and Luke Scales capped the rally with an RBI triple to extend the lead.

Offensively, Bellarmine tallied 14 runs on 13 hits with production spread throughout the lineup. Swader led the way with a four-hit performance and three RBIs, while Scales added three hits and two RBIs. Landon Akers reached base consistently and scored multiple runs, and Bell contributed key RBIs in clutch moments. Sawyer Pace also etched his name in the program record book, setting the single-season mark for hit-by-pitches.

On the mound, Nikau Heeney earned the win in relief, while Cade Rusch delivered a key 1-2-3 shutdown inning late to help preserve the lead and send the game to the ninth with momentum in Bellarmine's favor. Earlier in the game, Chase Chamberlain worked out of a bases-loaded jam to keep Bellarmine close early. 

With the win, the Knights improve to 15-19 overall and 8-6 in ASUN play while clinching the series.

Bellarmine will look to complete the sweep of Eastern Kentucky on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

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