GULF SHORES, Ala. – Lady Tiger Softball (17-5) once again ralled to win the first game in the Gulf Shores Invitational against St. Thomas (Fla.), 3-2 but lost the night cap to Faulkner Univerisity (Ala.) 2-1.

GAME ONE – Campbellsville 3, St. Thomas (Fla.) 1 - BOX SCORE

Campbellsville used extra base hits and also played a little small ball to pick up two runs in the top of the sixth inning and starting pitcher Victoria Decker shut down St. Thomas in six of the seven innings to secure the victory.

St. Thomas got on the board first in the bottom of the second after a lead off single by Christina Sacramento. CU catcher Sara Paragon surrendered a pass ball moving Sacramento to second base and St. Thomas played a little small ball themselves moving her over to third base on a sacrifice bunt. Denise Prieto doubled to left center and scored the games first run.

But it did not take Campbellsville long to answer, as Kristin Benton led off the top of the third inning with a solo homerun, her sixth of the year. Benton finished with only six homeruns through all of last season and is already at that mark just 21 games into the season.

Decker shut down St. Thomas the rest of the afternoon while only giving up five hits in the final five innings. She also struck out two batters and did not surrender a walk.

"(Victoria) Decker threw really well for us today and commanded the zone," said CU Head Coach Shannon Wathen. "She worked ahead in counts and was able to get outs early in the at bats."

Senior Alyssa Barker kick-started CU's offense in the sixth with a leadoff double to left center field and Paragon placed a sacrifice bunt perfectly down the firs base line to move her into scoring position at second base. But fellow senior Heather Oakley sent an 0-1 pitch to left center for another Lady Tiger double, scoring Barker and giving CU a 2-1 lead.

But the Lady Tigers weren't finished yet and added an insurance run. Destiney Taul singled and moved Oakley to third and Erin Benton laid down a beautifully executed suicide squeeze bunt, scoring Oakley.

"Alyssa Barker stepped up and had a few solid plate appearances today," said Wathen. "She picked us up in the sixth and got us going on offense. We did a better job on executing our situational offense and were able to push a few runs across the board late in the game."

St. Thomas made a little noise in the bottom of the seventh after a single by Prieto but pinch runner Linett Perez was tagged out by second baseman Shelby Ray on a fielders choice by Amanda Penton. Penton was then gunned down trying to swipe second base by Paragon to end the threat and secure the CU victory.

Erin Benton led CU with two hits in the first game and the Lady Tigers picked up a single by Taul, doubles by Barker and Oakley, and homerun by Kristin Benton to lead the offensive attack.

GAME TWO – Faulkner 2, Campbellsville 1 - BOX SCORE

The Lady Tigers bats went silent were only able to push across one run off a homerun by freshman Brittany Rippy. Faulkner went deep in its final at bat and tied the game at one but eventually won in extra innings, 2-1.

Kristen Benton led off the game with a double but was stranded after Campbellsville could not move her from second base.

Erin Benton picked up the other CU hit with a one out single in the second but the Lady Tigers bats went to sleep after that.

Rippy knocked her third home run of the season in the fifth inning and looked to spark CU but nothing was going for Campbellsville.

Starting pitcher Taylor Wroe pitched yet another great game in the circle but was chased after the game-tying home run by Abbie Pierce. Martina Riney, who has unofficially been the go-to relief pitcher for Wathen and her club, came in to pitch after the leadoff home run and picked up two strikeouts and a groundout to send the game into extra innings.

Any game going to extra innings in the Gulf Coast Invitational was set to go into international tiebreaker, meaning a runner would be put at second base to start the inning.

Campbellsville could not push runner, Zatoria Leavell across but Faulker did the opposite. Faulkner put Chelsea Jones on the base paths to start the tie-breaker and was moved to third base on a ground out. CU intentionally walked leadoff hitter Keri Hyde to put runners on the corners with one out but Hyde advanced to second base on a defensive indifferene play to set Faulkner up with two runners in scoring position in the 8th inning.

Riney picked up her third strikeout to get Campbellsville to two outs but Tori Hollis picked up just the fourth hit for the Eagles and Jones scored the game-winning run.

Riney (1-1) picked up the loss but it was yet another game where the CU pitching kept the Lady Tigers in the game and did their part but the bats never woke up. Campbellsville only had three hits in the second game while striking out six times. Faulkner wasn't much better, while only recording four hits and striking out six times as well.

The Benton sisters were the only Lady Tigers to pick up atleast one hit in each game. Erin Benton led CU on the day, going 3-for-6 overall with one RBI in the two games combined. She was the only Lady Tigers to record a multiple hit day. Kristin Benton went 2-for-5 with one RBI throughout the day and walked twice in the first game. 


Campbellsville will now return home on Tuesday, March 11 and host Mid-South Conference rival Georgetown College at Veterans Memorial Park. First pitch of the double header is set for 2 PM ET.

You can follow the action on Campbellsville Athletics Stretch Internet Video, HERE. The game will also be live on 88.7 WLCU FM.

To follow LTS behind he scenes check them out on Twitter - @CvilleLTS and also @CvilleTigers. Also on Facebook – CampbellsvilleTigers.