LOUISVILLE, Ky. - It was domination in both phases of the game for the Eastern Kentucky University softball team as they reopened ASUN play with a doubleheader sweep over the Bellarmine Knights on Saturday.

The Colonels (21-7, 4-0 ASUN) recorded their fifth and sixth shutouts of the season as well as their fifth and sixth games with 10+ runs.

GAME ONE - EKU 13, BELL 0 (5 inn.)

Maddi Rutan (9-5) got the start for the Colonels and pitched 3.0 no-hitter innings, while Tayteum Vigansky and Brooke Davis made appearances as well in a combined one-hitter for the Colonel pitching staff.

The bats were red-hot from the jump for EKU, putting up runs in four of the five innings, starting with two runs in the first.

Rutan got it done in both the pitching circle and the batters' box. The two-way player got the scoring started for the Colonels on a triple that turned into a two-run inside the park home run off a throwing error from the Knight center fielder.

After a scoreless second inning, the Colonel offense exploded in the third, putting five runs on the board. Kennedy Drafton collected her first of seven RBIs on the day with a double to left center before Rutan followed up with another RBI on a single to the same area.

Riley Oleksik collected two RBIs of her own with a double to stretch the lead to 6-0. The freshman has tallied five RBIs in her last six appearances. Taci Haase wrapped up the inning with an RBI single through the right side.

The Colonels tallied three more runs apiece in the fourth and fifth innings en route to the run rule win. Sharyn Duncan took advantage of a pinch hitting opportunity to belt a double once again to left center while Lilly Davis added another RBI single to the EKU tally.

Drafton put the exclamation mark on the game with a three-run homer to deep center field, going yard for the fourth time this season.

The lone hit for the Knights came with one hit in the bottom of the fifth to put a damper on the combined no-hitter for the Colonels.

GAME TWO - EKU 11, BELL 0

Starting game two in the circle for the Colonels was Victoria Byrum (7-0). The sophomore totaled three strikeouts in 6.0 innings pitched before Davis made her second relief appearance of the day to close out the game.

Reese Knox got things going for the Colonels in quick order, putting the first run on the board thanks to a Knights fielding error after Jaelin Haynes reached base as the leadoff hitter and stole second base.

The Colonels followed up with three more runs in the second, starting with an RBI from Knox before Drafton followed up with two more RBIs to her tally. 

Knox added a second RBI to her game total in the fourth while Rutan knocked through a single to right field to stretch the lead to 6-0.

After being held scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings, the Colonel offense closed the game with one last offensive burst, putting up five runs in the final frame.

Skyler Billips knocked through an RBI double to center while Makayla Mathis tacked on a sac fly. Knox and Drafton closed out the game with two more RBIs for Knox and one more for Drafton.

UP NEXT

The two teams close out the series with one last game on Sunday. Due to forecasted weather, the game has been moved up to 10 AM ET instead of its original 1 PM time.