Louisville, Ky. – Missouri S&T dropped both games to open Great Lakes Valley Conference play at Bellarmine 2-0 and 3-2 on Friday afternoon at Knights Field in Louisville, Ky. S&T (4-13, 0-2 GLVC) had its opportunities to score but struggled to hit with runners in scoring position.

Game 1 – Bellarmine 2 Lady Miners 0
Bellarmine (12-12, 2-0 GLVC) scored three batters into the game in the opener as Rachel Fox led-off with a double, went to third on a groundout and scored on Kelly Ely's single to right. The Knights added another run in the second inning getting a two out hit from Lillie Nitzken scoring Erica Knollman, who had led off the inning with a walk, to make it 2-0.

S&T's best chance to score came in the seventh inning as Kyra Slemp (Roeland Park, Kan./Shawnee Mission East) and Savannah Fedorchak (Oakville, Mo./Oakville) led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Cailey Baker (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield) moved both runners up with a sacrifice but were left stranded as the game ended with back-to-back strikeouts.

The Lady Miners had four hits in the opener led by Slemp, Fedorchak, Morgan Imhoff (Jamestown, Mo./Jamestown) and Monica Weiss (St. Louis, Mo./Marquette ) with one each. Kati Viets (Sweet Springs, Mo./Sweet Springs) took the loss allowing two runs on six hits with three strikeouts against a walk in the complete game effort.

Game 2 – Bellarmine 3 Lady Miners 2
The Knights jumped in front in the second inning of the nightcap loading the bases with a double and back-to-back walks to start the inning. With one out Fox singled to right field scoring Katie Stamper. Courtney Jackson (Parkville, Mo./Park Hill South) got out of the inning getting a pop out and a ground out.

Bellarmine added another run in the third inning as Marlee Tevis walked, went to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Tevis then scored on Ciara Incorvati's ground out to third to make it 2-0.

S&T had the tying runs on base in both the fourth and fifth innings but couldn't get the key hit. The Knights added another run in the fifth on a two-out double by Megan Bretz scoring Ely who was hit by a pitch.

The Lady Miners got two on with one out in the sixth but Carley Hamann (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way North), running for Imhoff, was thrown out at the plate on a base hit by Andi Davis (Blue Springs, Mo./Archbishop O'Hara ). Kelly Heckemeyer (St. Elizabeth, Mo./St. Elizabeth) then flew out to center to end the inning.

S&T avoided the shutout with two runs in the seventh. With two outs Hannah Franceschini (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) singled and Slemp walked. Fedorchak then singled to center scoring Franceschini. A single by Imhoff loaded the bases and put the tying run in scoring position. Baker walked to bring home Slemp to make it 3-2, but Davis flew out to left to end the game.

The offense racked up seven hits in the nightcap led by Slemp's two. Franceschini, Fedorchak, Imhoff, Baker, Davis and Victoria Culbertson (Nevada, Mo./Nevada) had a hit apiece. Jackson went the first five innings allowing three runs on five hits but walked three and hit a batter. Ashley Hill (Centralia, Mo./Centralia) pitched a scoreless sixth.

The Lady Miners are back in action on Saturday afternoon taking on Southern Indiana in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. in Evansville, Ind.