JACKSON, Tenn. - The Union University baseball team lost 2-0 in 10 innings to No. 17 Bellarmine University Friday afternoon at Fesmire Field. Union dropped to 3-3 on the season, while Bellarmine moved to 1-3 overall.

Union and Bellarmine played the first nine innings in scoreless fashion. Through nine innings, Union stranded 11 runners, while Bellarmine left eight on base. Union got just one player to third base in the game in the bottom of the seventh inning when A'Darius Pugh doubled and moved to third on a passed ball. Union left a runner on base ever inning but the first through the first nine innings of play. 

Union's Ryan Mets and Bellarmine's Brandon Pfaadt both tossed six innings, but did no factor into the decision. Union reliever Logan Portis tossed perfect seventh and eight innings for the Bulldogs, but ran into trouble in the top of the ninth. 

In the ninth, Bellarmine's leadoff hitter reached on an error. After a stolen base and a wild pitch, the Knights had their first runner reach third base in the game. Two walks later, Bellarmine had the bases loaded for the first time in the game for either team. Portis got the first out on a called strike three. He then forced an infield popup to second base for the second out. Portis got the final out on the second called strike three of the inning. 

In the top of the ninth, Union's first two hitters struck out swinging to Bellarmine reliever Anthony Ethington (1-0), now tossing his third inning of relief. With two outs, Austin Zeitler walked to give Union a base runner in eight straight innings. But a groundout pushed the scoreless game into extra innings. 

Cooper Bullough (0-1) started the 10th inning for Union on the mound as the third pitcher of the day. For the second straight inning, the Knights got the leadoff hitter reached on a field error. A single followed and then a balk moved runners to second and third with no outs. Higgins promptly drove in the game's first run with a single to left-center field. Gambert drove a deep fly ball to right-center for a sacrifice fly to put Bellarmine up 2-0. A couple of groundouts ended the inning. 

In the bottom of the 10th, Union went quietly and for the first time since the first inning, failed to put a runner on base.

Both teams had five hits each and combined for five errors, three for Union. Patrick Music led Union with a 3-for-4 day. 

Looking back to last season at Union, the Bulldogs posted two walk-off wins over Bellarmine in a home double-header, wining 5-4 in 10 innings in both games. This season, Bellarmine returned the favor with a 10 inning victory in game one of the series. 

The two teams will complete the weekend series, Saturday, February 15 at 1 p.m. with a doubleheader. 

-UNION-