Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 A preseason confined to an indoor facility didn't seem to slow the Campbellsville University bats, as the eighth-ranked Tiger baseball team swept its season opening doubleheader, 6-1 and 15-4, at Shorter College Friday.
The Tigers collected 24 hits, 19 RBIs and two home runs on the day to start a three-game series in Rome, Ga.
"To say I'm pleasantly surprised would be an extreme understatement," CU head coach Beauford Sanders said. "I really thought we'd practiced well and would play well, but I didn't think it would go as well as it did, especially having not been outside. That's all attributed to the guys. What a great start on the road! As good as things went, with the 21 runs, I know we're going to get better, and that's encouraging."
In game one, it was a pair of left-handed two-run home runs in the fourth and fifth innings that powered CU to a 6-1 victory. Craig Edwards hit a two-run shot in the fourth, while Richie Rowland followed with a two-run round-tripper in the fifth to break the game open.
Tiger newcomer Michael Caleb started the scoring in the second inning, singling in Luke Gadow for the Tigers' first RBI of the day. Rowland scored on a balk early in Caleb's at-bat for the Tigers' first run of the season. Shorter's lone run came in the bottom of the fourth, as left fielder Matt Johnson led off the inning with a walk and later scored on a Scott Morris single.
Campbellsville was out hit by the Hawks in the opener, 8-7, but Shorter left 10 runners stranded, including two in the seventh.
However, hitting was not an issue for the Tigers in the second game. CU batted around and produced five runs to start game two. Caleb, Alex Ponich and Edwards each doubled in runs to start the game, while two more came across on a single from Zac Thownsend.
CU added four runs in the second, as the Tigers had 20 plate appearances in the first two innings. Edwards picked up an RBI walk, while Colin Bryan knocked in a pair with a single past short and Townsend singled up the middle to stretch CU's lead, 9-0.
Logan Smith pushed the game into double-figures, 11-0, in the third with two-RBI single to right-center field.
The Tigers were close to enforcing the 10-run rule until Shorter's Adam Roberts doubled in a run in the fourth and the Hawks added two more in the fifth.
Caleb, a Christmas-break transfer from Surrey, British Columbia, proved he could be an immediate impact in 2010, as he collected a team-leading five hits and four RBIs in his Tiger debut. He singled in a pair in the seventh to start a four-run inning. Tyler Craig doubled in the other two.
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We're just now learning about this influx of new guys and new personel. All of the new guys who got into the game did something positive for us," Sanders said.
On the mound for CU, Jared Lunardi recorded the victory in game one, lasting six innings and giving up six hits, three walks and a run. He struck out five. Eric Mattos was the winner in the second game, as he struck out three and allowed two walks and six hits through five innings. Jake Kutsukos, Spencer Frantz and Rusty Devitt each saw an inning of work out of the bullpen in the doubleheader.
Sanders liked with what he saw out of his pitching staff on opening day.
"I was real pleased with Jared Lunardi. Mattos wasn't very sharp, but he battled and made some big pitches when we needed them. He also had the big cushion early to work with," Sanders said.
With snow in the forecast at home Saturday, Sanders hopes to take advatange of a warmer atmosphere in Rome Saturday, when the Tigers (2-0) take on Shorter again at 1 p.m.
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My whole thing about coming down here for three games is to use a lot of people and shuffle the line up a little bit to get their feet wet. The guys are on board with that. I was real pleased with the attitudes. We're going to shuffle it tomorrow. Nothing is set at this point."
