MASON, Ohio — With two outs and
Mike Castellano standing on second base,
Jacob Carrera delivered a walk-off RBI single up the middle to seal Campbellsville's comeback over Warner University, 3-2 in the NCCAA World Series Pool Play.
Campbellsville (41-17) improves to 2-0 in pool play and will have another pair of games tomorrow starting at 2:00 ET with 10-seed Bethesda University out of California. CU will also play another night cap at 8:00 against three-seed Southwestern Christian University.
Warner won its first game today but drops its World Series record to 1-1 and will play seven-seed Trinity Christian tomorrow morning at 11 and Bethesda on Friday at 1:00.
Campbellsville trailed for 7 2/3 innings before
Riley Joyce was the first hero for the Tigers at the plate. In the eight inning and behind 2-0,
Casey Scott was hit by a pitch with one out and
Miguel Solano delivered his third hit to put runners on the bases. After a passed ball, Joyce came up with two outs and turned around a 2-1 pitch into the left-center field gap to tie the game at two.
In the ninth, starter
Nick Morehead allowed a leadoff single and was pulled after an 131-pitch performance for closer
Jake Pannunzio. Pannunzio got out of the ninth with seven pitches to set up the walk-off.
Castellano came off the bench for his first at-bat of the game and singled up the middle. CU played small ball, as
Richard Ramirez moved him to second with a sacrifice bunt. After the second out was recorded, Carrera got behind 0-2 before driving in the game-winner.
Pannunzio (8-1) picked up the win in relief. Morehead tossed 8 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on 10 hits. He also struck out six batters for the no-decision.
Warner's Tyler Perkins dominated the first 7 2/3 innings before Joyce's double. He allowed four hits, zero runs and struck out eight batters before the last two innings. He finished allowing seven hits, three earned runs and four walks while also finishing with 131 pitches.
The Royals picked up both of their runs early in the contest. In the first inning Randy Rodriguez led off the game with a double and came around to score on a sac fly by Broderick Rodocker. Warner scratched its other run in the third with two outs. Junior Fermin singled up the middle and stole second base before Jose Fortuna delivered another single to centerfield.
Solano led the Tigers with three hits, while Joyce, Castellano, Carrera and
Cameron Ketchen all had hits.
The NCCAA World Series semifinals and championship is scheduled for Friday, May 27 and Saturday, May 28, respectively.
