BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — It's like déjà vu all over again. This time last Sunday, Lady Tiger softball was competing against Lindsey Wilson College trying to win their first Mid-South Conference Tournament title since 2008. And just one week later, Tiger baseball meets the Blue Raiders today seeking to win their first championship since 2009.
The Tigers and Blue Raiders are meeting for the second time in the tournament but this time with a little more on the line. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET in the MSC Tournament finals. Campbellsville, which is 2-0 in the tournament, will have to be beaten twice today by the Blue Raiders.
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Campbellsville won its first two games of the MSC tournament – 5-0 over St. Catharine and 5-3 over Lindsey Wilson – to play in its first title game since 2013. Dating back to the year 2000, the Tigers won seven of the next nine tournament titles and five-straight (2005-2009).
In 2010, the Tigers clawed their way into the MSC finals after falling to University of Rio Grande in the second round, 3-2. CU knocked off Georgetown 5-1 to move into the championship series with the RedStorm on Sunday, May 8, 2010. Michael Caleb, Brian Chase and Logan Smith all hit home runs and the Tigers ended up scoring three runs in the bottom of the 10th to force the if-necessary game.
In the finale with Rio Grande, Curtis Payne pitched six innings of seven-hit baseball and allowed three runs. The Tigers scored a run in the top of the eighth to take a 5-3 lead and had senior Spencer Frantz on the mound. But the flood gates came open in the ninth and MSC Player of the Year Tyler Schunk hit a walk-off grand slam to end CU's dominance at five-straight titles.
Lindsey Wilson has won two of the last three titles with one of those coming over Campbellsville. In 2013, the Tigers came out of the loser's brackets to force the if-necessary game with the Blue Raiders but Lindsey Wilson ended CU's run with a 10-7 victory.
Last season, St. Catharine forced the if-necessary game as well but LWC prevailed with a 10-7 victory in the championship.
This season, it will be Campbellsville who has to be knocked off twice in the championship series and there is no other way than to spend Mother's Day than at the ball park. Many alumni, friends and fans have already made the trip to Bowling Green Ball Park – home of the Hot Rods - and many more are on the way today. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. ET. See you there!
