Box Score

GEORGETOWN, Ky. — After a three-plus hour game that saw a broken aluminum bat, a homerun over turned to a ground rule double and two big innings for Campbellsville and Georgetown, the CU Tigers dropped game one of the three game series, 7-6.

 

BOX SCORE
 

The middle of the order once again continued it blistering streak, with Alex Kline leading the way going 4-for-5 with a triple and Jacob Russell hit 3-for-4 with a walk. Kline is now 13-for-17 (.764) in the last five games. In the last 20 games, Kline has gone 34-for-78 (.435) and has jumped his seasn batting average up to above .340.

 

While trailing 3-1 after five innings, Campbellsville struck with its largest inning of the game, scoring three runs in the sixth inning.

 

It all started with a little aid from the GC Tiger defense. Russell singled up the middle and advanced to second base on a Georgetown error. Kline then singled to advance Russell to third base. GC starting pitcher Tyler Arthur threw his first wild pitch scoring Russell and moving Kline up one base.

 

Ryan Squires picked up a one-out RBI blooper over the first baseman's head and Ricky McColloch beat out a ground ball hit to the hole between third base and shortstop to drive in another CU run, 4-3.

 

Campbellsville added a run in the seventh inning after a one-out double by Carlos Torres to right-center field. GC's Arthur helped CU once again, throwing his second wild pitch to move Torres to third. He eventually scored on an RBI single by Kline, 5-3.

 

But CU was unable to hold down its arch-rival Georgetown, who is ranked No. 7 in the NAIA and the top team in the MSC. Georgetown (32-6, 18-3 MSC) made a little noise in the seventh inning but was unable to score a run.

 

MSC homerun leader Martin Lemus drove a one-out pitch from CU starter Alex Watson to left-center field that seemed to hit the top of the fence and bounce back into play. The initial ruling was a double but then the home plate umpire overturned his partner and decided it was a home run.

 

CU head coach Beauford Sanders pled his case with both umpires, and the 37-year coaching veteran ended up winning the ruling to get the hit for Lemus back to a double.

 

The 15-minute break, while the home run was overturned twice, seemed to hurt Campbellsville, as Watson was pulled for reliever TR Dunne. Dunne, a junior righty from Bartonville, Ill., picked up two quick outs to end the GC rally.

 

But Georgetown came alive in the eighth and out-did Campbellsville's three-run inning with a four-run frame of its own.

 

GC led off with a single, stolen base and walk to put runners on first and second with no outs. Ryan Rodriguez laid down a sacrifice bunt to the third base line moving each runner into scoring position. After an intentional walk to leadoff batter Duran Elmore, Campbellsville seemed to get exactly what it needed.

 

Justin Moore hit a hard-shot ground ball to CU's Gentry Kinsella at second base, which looked to be a taylor made 4-6-3 double play. But Kinsella bobbled the ball to score a run and give Georgetown another chance.

 

The GC Tigers, dressed in their home white uniforms, took advantage and picked up a two-RBI single to score the second and third runs of the inning and tie the game at six. CU had another chacne to get out of the inning with minimal damage haulted by another unsuccessful double play. Kinsella flipped on to Ricky McColloch at second base and his throw went wide at first, scoring a run and giving GC a 7-5 lead.

 

Campbellsville did not give up, though. Russell and Kline delivered once again with two outs in the final inning. Russell singled and Kline tripled to get CU back to within one run with Jaime Valle coming to the plate. Valle put a charge into the ball but right to Justin Moore in left field, ending the CU threat and game.

 

McColloch and Shane Woodson both picked up multiple hits (2-for-4) along with Kline and Russell. Carlos Torres, Valle, Squires and Alex Scanlan all picked up hits in the loss.

 

Watson went 6 1/3 innings to keep CU in the game. The southpaw gave up three runs on nine hits and struck out three batters.

 

Dunne surrendered his first loss of the season (4-1), after coming into the game in the seventh inning. He gave up four runs, three earned, off two GC hits. Dunne finished with four walks but only one was unintentional.

 

No. 7 Georgetown now moves just one game away from clinching its first ever Mid-South Conference regular season championship. The Tigers won their first ever MSC Tournament Championship under first-year head coach Micah Baumfeld in 2011.

 

The two longtime rivals will meet again Saturday afternoon with a double-header starting at 1 p.m. ET. You can find live video for the series double-header, HERE.

 

To follow Tiger Baseball throughout the rest of the season, check them out on Twitter - @CTigersBaseball and @CvilleTigers. Also, on Facebook – Campbellsville University Baseball and Campbellsville Tigers.