Box Score KINGSPORT, Tenn. - Nothing sparks a fire under you more than a rivalry. That's exactly what Campbellsville University had Friday morning as the Tigers' bats came alive in a 7-4 elimination game victory over No. 14 Georgetown College in the NAIA Opening Round Tournament.

Campbellsville will return to action at 6 p.m. EDT Friday in a rematch against the University of St. Francis, which used a five-run seventh inning Thursday to beat CU, 6-3. Campbellsville will be the home team.
 

"There was a lot of intensity both ways. Today we weathered some tight situations and tough situations that we didn't do well yesterday. It was a lot easier, because we were better offensively," said Beauford Sanders, CU head coach. "It was a huge a win. We win the series of (Georgetown) and eliminate them. We have to take care of business tonight though. We have a good arm in big Jake (Jacob Cook) going. I hope the guys don't think this is enough."

The win gives Campbellsville a 3-2 record against the orange and black Tigers this season and avenges a 3-0 loss in the Mid-South Conference Tournament. It also drops a three game skid for Campbellsville dating back to game two of the MSC Tournament on April 26.

Both teams collected one-out singles to start the first inning Friday, but were unable to score until the second. After Georgetown took a 1-0 lead, Brandon Johnson blasted a two-run shot to left for the first home run of the tournament and a 2-1 lead for the boys in maroon. Trent Seamons followed with a single and scored on Aaron Schwoebel's second of three doubles so far in the tournament.

"That was huge for us, especially to answer a score with the first home run of the tournament, and Schwoebel had two big doubles for us today.," Sanders said.

With a 3-1 run entering the third, the home-team Tigers were not done. Both teams pushed across runs in the third as Georgetown's TC O'Neil beat a play at the plate to score on a sac fly. Danny Lapchak (4-for-4) doubled to start off the bottom of the third and scored on a Keaton Neeb single.

After three scoreless innings, Campbellsville pushed across two more runs in the bottom of the seventh to stretch its lead to four, 6-2. Once again, Seamons singled followed by an RBI double by Schwoebel. However, Schwoebel was ejected from the game after rounding second and running into the shortstop. CU will be without his hot bat in Friday's nightcap. Mason Yates entered the game to run for the ejected left fielder and scored on an RBI single by Lapchak.

"We put more runs up today and were able to stretch the runs, which made it a lot easier for our mindset knowing that we had a three run cushion," Sanders said.

Ryan "Willy" Richardson got the start for Campbellsville against Georgetown's Chase Ballinger and lasted into the eighth on 92 pitches thrown for the win. He finished with three earned runs allowed off 10 hits and a walk. Andrew Shoemaker took over in the eight with no outs.

"I went out there just trying to find the zone. In the first couple of innings, I left a few balls up and they hit it around the yard a little bit. I just had to bear down, throw strikes and let the defense do the work," Richardson said. "It was a great job for the hitters. It was good to see them come out swinging."

Georgetown's biggest threat of the game came in the top of the eighth. After Campbellsville's two-spot in the seventh, the visiting Tigers delivered back-to-back singles off Richardson, leading to his exit. Andrew Shoemaker inherited the base runners and allowed a run on a wild throw on a fielder's choice play at second. Shoemaker picked up a double play for the first two outs, which allowed another run to score, cutting the Tigers' lead to 6-4.

After a walk put runners on the corners, Rusty Devitt took over on the mound to face the potential go-ahead run, Grandon. Devitt K'd the pinch-hitter on a full-count pitch to exit the jam.

In the bottom half, Campbellsville got one of the runs back after Craig Edwards doubled off the right field wall. Levi McCamish, running for Edwards, scored on a single by Neeb to create insurance for Devitt's save opportunity.

The three-year Tiger senior shut down the orange and black in three at bats to secure the win.

"I've been involved in a game pitching against them to end their season three years in a row, so I thought it was fitting to get the save," said Devitt. "It felt great to get back into the win column and get going in the right direction again."

Georgetown is the first team eliminated from the NAIA Opening Round Tournament in Kingsport.

Photo Gallery and Stats will be added later this evening.