COLUMBIA, Ky. – Campbellsville University has forced the "if necessary" game in the Mid-South Conference Championship after beating the University of Rio Grande, 4-1, and Lindsey Wilson College, 6-4, Wednesday evening at LWC's Egnew Field.

The Tigers (32-18) collected 19 hits and pushed across 10 runs in the two wins to play their way back into the hunt for a MSC title and automatic bid to the NAIA Opening Round.

LWC (41-17), who beat CU 9-1 on Saturday in Kingsport, Tenn., to win the winner's bracket, will host Campbellsville for the final game of the tournament Thursday, May 2 at 7 p.m. EDT. The MSC Tournament began Thursday, April 25 at Hunter Wright Stadium in Kingsport, but was suspended a day-long rain delay on Sunday. The games were moved to LWC due to the Blue Raiders being the only unbeaten team in the tournament at the time.

Campbellsville 4, Rio Grande 1 -- BOX SCORE

A three-run first inning set the tone for the Tigers, as Campbellsville held Rio Grande scoreless through seven. Tiger senior Drew Pettit (5-3) got the start out of the bullpen and allowed on three hits through six innings of work for his second win as a starter.

Tanner Nielsen started the bottom of the first for Campbellsville with a double down the right field line after battling an eight-pitch at bat. Nielsen went on to score on an error as Michael Bush reached safely. Keaton Neeb singled to put runners on the corners and Brandon Johnson bunted both runners into scoring position to set up a two-RBI single by Aaron Schwoebel. Nielsen, Neeb and Schwoebel each had two hits in the game for the Tigers.

Schwoebel and Campbellsville added a run in the fourth. The left-handed centerfielder singled to start the inning and moved to third on a single by Shane Kelly. Ryan Squires, who subbed into play right field the previous inning, grounded into an RBI fielder's choice to score the run.

With Pettit on the mound, Rio scattered its hits with one in the third, fifth and sixth. Shane Spies hit a two-out single to left in the third, while Luke Taylor had a leadoff hit in the fifth and Chris Ford doubled with two out in the sixth. All three were left stranded.

Rio scored its only run in the top of the eighth off Tiger reliever Matt Robertson. Grant Tamane singled to start the inning and eventually scored on a sac bunt by Findley.

Robertson recorded his third save of the year, pitching the last three innings for CU. He allowed two hits and one unearned run, while striking out six. Pettit also struck out six in his six innings of work. He allowed three hits, walked three and hit three.

Ryan Robertson (7-6) recorded the complete-game loss for Rio, allowing three earned runs and 10 hits. He struck out six.

Campbellsville 6,Lindsey Wilson 4 -- BOX SCORE

Campbellsville responded to an early Lindsey Wilson lead and never let up en route to its first win over the rival Blue Raiders (in four games) at Egnew Park, since the stadium opened in 2010.  

A pair of singles to shallow center field put Lindsey Wilson on the board in the first. Leandro Perez led off the inning with a single was driven in by Manny Alonso.

Campbellsville wasted little time to respond as Brandon Johnson teed off on a 0-2 pitch for his fourth home run of the season to start the second. Aaron Schwoebel followed with a single and scored on a Jacob Phillips double. Tanner Nielsen later delivered a two-out single to make it 3-1.

Campbellsville stretched its lead, 4-1, in the top of the sixth. Johnson singled to start the inning and stole second before taking third on ground out by Carlos Torres. Johnson scored on a two-out passed ball by LWC catcher Russ Morse.

Lindsey Wilson put two runs on the board in the bottom half of the inning. Perez drew a leadoff walk and scored on a wild throw by Phillips into shallow right field trying to throw out Alonso advancing to second on a single. Jeff Kerian followed with an RBI single to pull within one, 4-3.

In similar fashion, Campbellsville grabbed the two runs back in the top of the seventh. Phillips drew a leadoff walk. With two outs, Michael Bush was hit on his left shoulder and Keaton Neeb singled to potentially load the bases, but Phillips scored on a wild throw to first by Perez. Daniel Pulliam took over on the mound in place of Darren Travers (10-2) and hit the first two batters he faced (Johnson and Schwoebel) to load the bases and plate another run, 6-3.

Lindsey Wilson threatened in the ninth, loading the bases with one out, but reliever Allen Hewey got a ground ball to short stop Travis Hayes, who turned a 6-4-3 double play to get out of the inning.

In the ninth, Hewey gave up a one-out single to Osnowitz and walked Morse, as the rally caps came out in the LWC dugout. Hewey struck out Trey Davis, but gave up a two-out RBI single to Perez before getting Michael Rosario to ground into a fielder's choice to end the game.

Patrick McMeel (5-2) recorded the win for the Tigers, pitching 7 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs off seven hits and a walk. He struck out five. Hewey closed the last 1 2/3 for his sixth save of the season.

LWC had four players with multiple hits, as Perez, Alonso, Kerian and Osnowitz each had two. Neeb, Johnson and Schowebel had two each for Campbellsville, giving Neeb and Schwoebel four for the day.