CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Tiger Baseball hosted Bethel College (0-3) Saturday for their 2014 home opener and Campbellsville (3-2) swept its competition, 2-1 in game one and 10-0 in game two.

BOX SCORE - GAME ONE
BOX SCORE - GAME TWO

Jaime Valle, who did not start game one, took over behind the plate in the fifth inning and stepped to the plate for his first at bat in the bottom of the seventh. After Bethel tied the game, 1-1, in the top of the seventh inning, Valle delivered a game-winning RBI single with a runner on second base to end the game.

"The final inning in the last game was huge for us," said head coach Beauford Sanders. "Valle came through at the end with a clutch hit to win the game."

Campbellsville struggled from the plate in the opening game, though. The Tigers recorded only three hits in the first six innings but picked up two in the final inning to propel the Tigers to victory.

"Our approaches were very poor in the first game," said Sanders. "The things we were unable to do was stay back and use the whole field. We got pull happy and did not allow the ball to travel into the zone."

CU picked up its first run in the fourth inning, as Bethel pitcher Jason Hurlock surrendered a leadoff single to two-hole-hitter Alex Scanlan. Hurlock attempted to pick off Scanlan at first base but his throw was in the dirt and rolled down the first base line. Scanlan scampered over to third base on the error to put Campbellsville in a position to score its first run.

Alex Gutierrez was up next and hit a rocket shot to the third baseman for Bethel, Nick McDonald. McDonald went to his knees to try and keep that ball in front but was unable to, scoring Scanlan from third.

Matt Robertson (1-1) started the game on the mound for Campbellsville for his second start of the season. Robertson pitched seven strong innings, giving up three hits and one unearned run, while striking out two Pilot batters.

"The thing that stood out today about Matt was his poise on the mound," said Sanders. "When it got shaky for us defensively, and they tied the game to force the extra inning, he bared down and went to work to get us out of the inning. He did not let the adversity of the situation effect his mentality, and it showed the toughness he has on the mound."

Robertson did venture into a little trouble, as Gutierrez made back-to-back errors at third base setting the Pilots up to tie the game in the top of the seventh inning.

Johnathan Shembarger picked up a single to give Bethel its third hit of the game. Kyle Revella came up next and hit a weak grounder to Gutierrez at third base. The junior from Peoria, Ill., looked for the game-ending double play but his throw went wide to Gentry Kinsella at second base.Trey Phillips, who pinch ran for Shembarger at first, did not advance, putting runners on first and second.

Robertson retired the next BC batter on a fly ball but Gutierrez had another miscue and Phillips was able to score from second to tie the game in the seventh.

Carlos Torres led off the bottom of the seventh with a single. Levi McCamish checked in as a pinch runner and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt from No. 5 hitter Jacob Russell. After a intentional walk to Alex Kline, Valle stepped up and delivered the winning hit.

"Carlos picked up a single and big Russell laid down a beautiful sacrifice bunt to advance the runner into scoring position giving Valle the opportunity. It was a great team inning and everyone helped contribute in some fashion," said Sanders.

GAME TWO

The 'bats awoke and picked up 15 hits and scored 10 runs to romp the Pilots in the second game. CU was led by Torres, going 4-for-4 with four singles and one RBI. He finished the doubleheader 5-for-7 at the plate and leads the team with a .556 average through five games.

"Carlos is trusting himself and his hands more now, and he is doing things like picking up the extra bases when the defense turns their backs," said Sanders. "He has made such a significant improvement since his first day here, and it's showed."

Campbellsville did not break the game open until the fifth and sixth innings though, as freshman pitcher Caleb MacPherson held the Tigers in check for four innings.

"We started the second game much like the first," said Sanders. "We did not allow the ball to get deep enough in the zone and that shows by the roll-overs and pop outs. But by the fourth inning on, it all changed. We changed our approach and our singles were hit to the opposite field. Once that happened we got the marry-go-round going and its contagious."

The Tigers picked up one run in the second inning after a Valle single. McCamish checked in and ran for the catcher. He stole second and third to set up Ricky McColloch, who delivered an RBI double down the leftfield line.

CU made an adjustment in the final two innings at the plate, though, as junior Ryan Squires delivered a lead off single in the fifth, starting a five-run inning. CU picked up four-straight hits off the bats of Squires, Kinsella, Scanlan and Torres to score three runs. Alex Kline picked up his first RBI of the new season on a hard-hit, line drive sacrifice fly to score Scanlan. McColloch ended the rally with another single to score Valle and put the Tigers up 6-0.

Campbellsville added four more runs in the sixth inning off hits by Scanlan, Torres and Russell.

Bret DeRooy (2-0) made his second Saturday start of the season. The Duvall, Wash., native pitched six strong innings, recording six strikeouts and only throwing 65 pitches. Allen Hewey made his first appearance on the year with a three-up, three-down top of the seventh, after being sidelined with an arm injury.

"Brett has had two back-to-back good outings for us," said Sanders. "He got better as the game moved along, and I was very happy to have Allen Hewey back from injury. He pitched very well in his innings work in the seventh. We will need him in the bullpen to give us more experience coming into later stages of games."

The thing that impressed Sanders so much on the day, no Campbellsville pitcher walked a batter in 14 innings. CU struggled in its opening weekend in Jackson, Miss., surrendering eight walks in three games.

Campbellsville will travel to Columbia, Ky., Sunday, Feb. 23 for a 1 p.m. ET matchup with No. 18 Judson College (2-2) at Lindsey Wilson College's Egnew Park. Live Stats will be provided on Dakstats and live video without audio commentary will be available at Lindsey Wilson's Stretch Internet portal, here.

CU will return home on Monday to host Judson College. The game, which is slated to begin at 1:30 p.m. ET, is an addition to the Tigers' schedule of weather shook up the original weekend order of games.