CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – Tanner Nielsen didn't waste any time Friday. With his team sitting in fourth place in the Mid-South Conference standings, the senior shortstop seized the opportunity to set the tone, leading off the game with a solo home run to left-center on the third pitch thrown. Nielsen went on to drive in four runs for the Tigers as Campbellsville University opened its MSC weekend series with a 7-1 win over the University of Rio Grande.

The game one victory, played at VA Memorial Stadium, moves Campbellsville to 10-6 in the MSC standings with five conference games remaining this season. CU and Rio will return to action for a doubleheader Saturday at Gallia Academy High School's Bob Eastman Field in Gallipolis, Ohio.
 
Following Nielsen's leadoff bomb, Michael Bush started the top of the second inning off with a double. The two-bagger sparked a three-run inning to stretch the Tigers' lead, 4-0. Angelo Simmons singled in Bush. With one out, Josh Potter reached on a failed double play attempt that left Simmons and Potter safe on base. Both runs scored on a two-out double by Nielsen.

Nielsen platted another run in the fourth, driving in Simmons on a fielder's choice after the right fielder singled to start the inning. CU loaded the bases in the inning, including a bases-loaded walk by Carlos Torres to score Shayne Kelly before Rio Grande pitcher Ryan Robertson got a pop out and ground out to end the inning, leaving three Tigers on base.

Tiger starter Patrick McMeel carried a no-hitter through three, giving up his first hit as a leadoff single to Grant Tamane in the bottom of the fourth. Rio stranded a pair of runners in the bottom of the fifth and got on the board in the seventh after Chris Ford collected a one-out walk and scored on a two-out double by Zach Dumler.

CU collected 10 hits in the game, being held hitless only in the fifth, sixth and eighth innings.

Nielsen, who led Campbellsville with a 3-for-5, two-run, 4-RBI performance, led off the ninth with a single and scored the Tigers' seventh run on a double by Brandon Johnson. Nielsen finished the day a triple shy of the cycle. Bush and Simmons finished with two hits each for the Tigers.

Ford had two hits and scored the lone run to lead Rio Grande.

McMeel went the distance on the mound, allowing one earned run off five hits and three walks through nine innings. He struck out six. Robertson pitched all nine for Rio, collected seven earned runs. He walked three and struck out two.

Campbellsville is now 25-12 on the season, the program's 11^th consecutive 25-plus win season and the 19^th in Beauford Sanders' 23 years as head coach.