Bellarmine (19-7, 8-2 GLVC): 5, 9
at Southern Indiana (12-12, 3-5 GLVC): 1, 8
-Box Scores: Game 1 | Game 2 (8 innings)

EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana softball team gave up a combined 14 runs in the sixth inning and later as the Screaming Eagles dropped both games of a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader to visiting Bellarmine University Monday afternoon at the USI Softball Field.

USI (12-12, 3-5 GLVC) gave up five runs in the top of the seventh inning of game one as it lost 5-1; then saw a 5-0 lead fall by the wayside as it lost game two, 9-8, in extra innings.

The Screaming Eagles, who have lost four straight games, grabbed a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning of game one when senior second baseman Amanda Brendel hit a solo home run over the leftfield fence.

Bellarmine (19-7, 8-2 GLVC), however, tied the game with an RBI-single off the bat of junior first baseman Lauren Summe in the seventh inning. The Knights, who have won six straight games, got a three-run home run off the bat of junior catcher Jordan Basham; then got a solo home run from sophomore third baseman Madi Ratliff in the next at-bat to take a commanding four-run lead.

Freshman pitcher Madeline Brink was charged with the loss after giving up five runs off nine hits in seven innings of work.

USI took control of the second game when sophomore outfielder Katherine Belsito singled to drive in a run in the fourth inning.

The Eagles took advantage of three errors in the fifth inning to score four more runs and take a 5-0 advantage. Senior shortstop Dani Finkelstein had an RBI-single in the inning, while senior first baseman Brittany DeWeese had an RBI-double.

Bellarmine, however, answered with four runs in the top of the sixth inning to cut into the Eagles' advantage. After the Eagles scored another run on a double-steal in the bottom half of the sixth inning to take a 6-4 lead, Bellarmine got a solo home run from Basham to lead the seventh inning off and took advantage of an error on what would have been the game-ending play to tie the contest at 6-6.

The Knights had three hits in the eighth inning, including a solo home run by Summe to lead off the frame, as they scored three times to take a commanding 9-6 advantage. Brendel had a two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth, but that was as close as the Eagles could get as the Knights held on for the one-run victory.

Brink (5-5) was charged with the loss after giving up four runs off three hits in one inning of work.

USI returns to action Saturday when it visits the University of Indianapolis for a GLVC doubleheader. First pitch is slated for 11 a.m. (CDT).