Box Score

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky staged a ninth inning rally to tie the game, but fell to Bellarmine, 7-6, in 13 innings on Friday at Knights Field.
 
EKU (27-15, 12-7 ASUN) rallied from two down in the ninth starting with a double to right center by Charlie Ludwick.  With one out, Ludwick moved to third on a single through the left side by Jalen Jones.  Ludwick then scored on a fielder's choice from Max Williams.  Kendal Ewell was hit by a pitch to keep the inning alive.  Logan Thomason followed with a single up the middle that scored Williams and tied the game 4-4.
 
It appeared Will King put the visitors in front by one when he singled through the left side and Ewell reached home plate from second.  However, the umpires ruled he did not touch third base and the inning ended.
 
Ludwick broke the tie in the top of the 13th when he scored on a wild pitch.  With two outs and two on, Thomason came through again, this time with a single through the left side that put Eastern Kentucky in front 6-4.
 
With two outs, the bases empty and a 3-2 count in the bottom of the 13th, Ashton Smith drew a walk to keep the game alive for Bellarmine.  Jack Ockerman singled down the left field line.  A.J. Arnold followed with a single through the left side that would have loaded bases, but an EKU error allowed Smith and Ockerman to score.  Two batters later, with runners at first and second and a 2-2 count, Brett Pfaadt singled through the left side to bring in the winning run.
 
Through the first six and a half innings, Bellarmine's Jacob Mulcahy and Ludwick took turns driving in runs for their respective teams.  Mulcahy's solo home run in the first gave the Knights a 1-0 lead.  Ludwick's double down the right field line in the fifth brought home Conner Davis and tied it 1-1.  Mulcahy hit another solo home run to start the bottom of the sixth and put the home team back on top by one.  Ludwick answered with a solo homer of his own in the top of the seventh to tie the game again, 2-2.
 
The Knights plated two in the bottom of the seventh to take their largest lead, 4-2.
 
Ludwick went 3-for-5 with a walk, three runs and two RBIs.  Ewell was 0-for-3 but walked three times and was hit by a pitch once.  Jones had two hits in six at bats.
 
Will Brian provided four innings of scoreless relief with four strikeouts.  Rese Brown started and allowed two runs on four hits over six innings.
 
Mulcahy finished 2-for-6 with two runs and two RBIs for Bellarmine (10-31, 6-13 ASUN).
 
Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m.