CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Lady Tiger Softball split today with the Rio Grande Red Storm, bouncing back from a 3-1 first-game defeat to redeem themselves with an 8-4 win in the second game.
The women rallied on Senior Day with 10 hits in the 8-4 win after only recording five hits in the opening-game loss.
CU recognized seniors Leslie Hastings, Orient, Ohio; Kacie Vincent, Louisville, Ky.; and Emma Napier, Scottsville, Ky. during a ceremony prior to the double-header played at Veterans Memorial Park.
LTS's split gives them to a 29-11 overall record, putting them in second place in the MSC with a 17-3 conference mark. Rio Grande is 18-13 overall, with a conference record of 7-11.
Rio Grande 3, Campbellsville 1
The Lady Tigers struggled to gain ground after two early URG runs. With just one out in the top of the first, Rio's Jessie Robinson and then Katie Fuller both made their way around the bases thanks to two fielding errors and a passed ball. Victoria Decker struck out the next two URG batters, but when CU had its turn at the plate, they could not generate any offense.
Rio drove the stake in a little deeper when it sent six batters to the plate in the fifth inning. URG's Jaymie Rector crossed the plate after three Rio singles and a stolen base.
In the sixth, Taylor Borders finally gave CU something to cheer about as she slammed a four-bagger over the centerfield fence on a 1-2 count.
But all cheering ceased when, after an infield single from Heather Oakley and an Adrian Jordan walk, a bunt by Brooke Boils to the pitcher was caught but dropped, resulting in a double play at third and second. After that, the Lady Tigers could not gain any more ground and ended the seven-inning game with just one run..
Decker pitched all seven innings, allowing six hits and striking out nine.
Players with hits include Emma Napier, Shelby Ray, Borders, Oakley, and Brooke Boils, each with one apiece.
CU left seven runner sstranded in the game.
Campbellsville 8, Rio Grande 4
It finally felt like Senior Day in Game 2 as senior shortstop Emma Napier scored two Lady Tiger runs and recorded four put-outs.
Her first run came in the bottom of the first inning, after CU pitcher Courtney Turpin threw a no-hit inning. Napier reached base on a walk, and was scored by a single from Kristin Benton. Benton herself also scored when Borders floated a double to right center.
The Lady Tiger momentum was slowed as URG's Haley Gwin, Kimberly Rollins, and Jordan Jenkins all crossed the plate in the top of the second, and Fuller did the same in the third — pushing the RedStorm to a 4-2 lead.
But CU's bats heated up again in the fourth inning, when Shelby Ray's single scored Alyssa Barker. Benton's sacrifice fly scored Napier for a second time, and then Borders knocked Ray in, giving CU a 5-4 lead that it would not relinquish.
Rio could not recover, and were held scoreless the rest of the game.
The Lady Tigers put the final nail in the coffin in the sixth. With Ray and Benton on base, Borders decided her first pitch looked good and sent a ball over the left-centerfield fence. The RedStorm was shut down by Martina Riney in their last at-bats in the sixth and seventh.
Borders finished the day with six RBIs, followed by Ray and Benton, each with one.
Lady Tigers with hits were Borders (3), Ray (2), Benton (2), Napier (1), Barker (1), and Vincent (1).
Turpin pitched a total of five innings, allowing five hits and four runs, and striking out four. Riney, who came in to pitch relief for the last two innings, allowed only one hit and struck out two.
The Lady Tigers will be at Veterans Memorial Park again tomorrow (Sunday), this time in a matchup against Shawnee State University. The first game of the double-header is schedule to begin at 2 p.m. EDT.
