Ozark, Mo. – The Maryville University baseball team could not overcome a fast start by Bellarmine as the No. 7 seeded Knights toppled the No. 2 seeded Saints 12-4 in the first round of the 2019 Great Lakes Valley Conference Baseball Tournament Thursday evening at U.S. Baseball Park in Ozark, Mo.
 
How it Happened:
The Knights grabbed an early lead with a pair of runs in the first and four runs in the second frame to take a 6-0 lead. The Saints cracked the scoreboard in the third as Alex Hoff opened the inning with a double and scored on a Louis Niemerg single through the left side to cut the Bellarmine advantage to 6-1. After the Knights added a run in the top of the fifth, Wyatt Elbe got the run back in the bottom of the inning with another RBI single to cut the lead to 7-2. Bellarmine once again added to their advantage in the seventh with a three-run blast to make the score 10-2, but the Saints continued to battle in their half of the seventh as Elbe and Niemerg each laced RBI doubles to push the score to 10-4. Bellarmine pushed across two more runs in the ninth to take a 12-4 lead as it sealed the opening round win.
 
Winning Pitcher:  Eddie Mathis (9-2)
Save: None
Losing Pitcher: Cody Creed (5-6)
Hitting leader:Elbe – 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, run scored
                         Niemerg – 3-for-5, 2 2b, 2 RBI, run scored
                         Drake Lubin – 2-for-5, 2B, run scored
 
Records:
Maryville – 27-21
Bellarmine – 30-19
 
Up Next: The Saints will take on No. 3 seed Missouri S&T in an elimination game Friday morning starting at 9 a.m.