Final Score: Lipscomb: 17, Bellarmine: 4
Location: Nashville, Tenn. (Ken Dugan Field)
Records: Lipscomb: 27-18 (14-8, ASUN), Bellarmine: 10-34 (7-15, ASUN)
THE SHORT STORY
Lipscomb Baseball got out to an early lead and never looked back as it cruised to a 17-4 victory over Bellarmine Friday night at Ken Dugan Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Michael Dunkelberger got off to a good start in the top of the first, retiring the Knights in 10 pitches. Lipscomb took advantage in the bottom of the inning, scoring the first run of the game. After
Caleb Ketchup reached on an error, he got to third base after a single from
Maddux Houghton and a wild pitch. He scored when
Mason Lundgrin delivered a sac fly for a 1-0 lead.
Dunkelberger continued to deal through the second and third innings, retiring the Knights in order in both frames.
The Bisons scored four in the bottom of the third with the help of a pair of long balls. After
Chaz Bertolani led off with a double and Ketchup walked,
Malik Williams turned on a ball and rocketed his ninth home run of the season over the left field fence for a 4-0 lead. On the very next pitch,
Rudy Maxwell went long to left-center field for a solo shot and a 5-0 lead.
Lipscomb's lead continued to increase in the bottom of the fourth. The third home run of the night came with one out when
Ethan Stamps put a ball past the right field fence for a 6-0 advantage. The bats stayed hot when Bertolani singled up the middle and scored when Ketchup doubled to left field for a 7-0 lead.
Mason Lundgrin and Williams delivered an RBI each for the eighth and ninth runs of the night as the Bisons held a 9-0 advantage after four complete innings.
After Dunkelberger kept the Knights off the board for the fifth-consecutive inning, Lipscomb continued to put runs on the board in the bottom of the inning.
John Shields led off the inning with a single and Ketchup worked a two-out walk and stole second for a pair in scoring position.
Maddux Houghton cashed in with a single through the left side that scored both runners for an 11-0 lead. Two more runs would come across home plate with base knocks from Williams and Maxwell for a 13-0 lead after five complete innings.
Bellarmine got on the board in the top of the sixth with a three-run shot to left field to cut into Lipscomb's lead 13-3. A pair of walks came around to score in the bottom of the sixth to get the lead back out 15-3 before another run came in to score in the bottom of the seventh for a 16-3 lead heading into the eighth inning.
In the bottom of the eighth, Ketchup connected on a leadoff homer over the center-field fence for a 17-3 advantage.
The Knights scored the final run in the top of the ninth, but
Kaleb Kantola got the final three outs of the game to secure the 17-4 victory.
HERD NOTES
- Lipscomb out-hit Bellarmine 18-6. The 18 hits mark the Bisons' most hits in an ASUN this season.
- Lipscomb's 17 runs are the most runs the Bisons have scored in an ASUN game this season.
- Dunkelberger improved to 7-2 on the season.
- Maxwell and Williams had three-hit nights while six Bisons had multi-hit games.
UP NEXT
Game two of the series is slated for Saturday, May 7 at Ken Dugan Field. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. CT with senior night ceremonies before the game
