CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — Campbellsville pounded out 18 hits and the Tigers were able to hang on to a big lead after Milligan College made some noise late, winning 11-7.
Playing short-handed with a few starters out of the lineup, Campbellsville (7-2) had multiple players step up throughout the day. CU had all three catchers in the lineup, as
Riley Joyce, who has played the most innings for the Tigers behind the plate, played left field for the first time in his career and
Shane Stober took over for him behind the plate.
Diego Reynoso was the designated hitter. The trio combined to go 5-for-11 with and RBI.
Shortstop
Matt Valdez went 4-for-5 at the plate and followed with three-hit games by
Carlos Garmendia and Reynoso. Garmendia was a triple away from the cycle and delivered a 3-run home run in the third inning and drove in four runs.
Clay Valenzuela-Reece and
Romello Carbuccia also delivered multi-hit games, while Valenzuela-Reece drove in three runs – one of those his first-career home run - and Carbuccia knocked in one.
The Tigers finished with 18 hits in 40 at-bats to hit .450 as a team and the pitching staff held Milligan College in check for the most part of the day – allowing two hits in the first six innings.
Dexter Cline started on the hill and pitcher effectively by allowing one earned run on two hits, while striking out three.
Nick Przybylek (1-1) picked up the win in relief, going two innings of no-hit baseball and striking out three.
Ray Fernandez then pitched a perfect inning and the Tigers had a 9-1 lead after the sixth.
After scoring another run in the seventh, the Tigers took a 10-1 lead and looked to be in command but the Buffalos did not let up.
Milligan came alive and chased freshman
Dillon Day after scoring three earned runs in 1/3 of an inning.
Jared Welander and
Kirby Broadbent pitched the final 2 2/3 innings.
Welander worked the Tigers out of the jam in the seventh inning and did not allow a run in the eighth. Broadbent allowed the Buffs to get right back in the game with three runs – two earned – and allowing one walk. But he picked up his lone strikeout when he needed it to seal the Tigers victory.
Campbellsville's scoring got started in the third inning and the Tigers offense didn't let up. Valdez started the rally with a double and Stober followed with a bunt and reached first base on a fielders choice. The Tigers went to the short-game to start, as
David Montoya delivered a suicide squeeze to score Valdez and tying the game at one. Carbuccia then delivered an RBI single to score pinch runner
Jose Castro and then the Tigers put runners on first and second the big fly from Garmendia - turning on a 2-0 fast ball and putting CU ahead 5-1.
In the fifth, Valenzuela-Reece followed suit and turned on a first-pitch to score another run with his solo bomb.
In the sixth, Valdez started the three-run inning with another leadoff single and was followed with a single by Stober. Valenzuela-Reece then earned his second and third RBIs with a single to score Valdez and pinch runner
Brett Hamilton. Garmendia then came through with an RBI double to score the Tigers third run and put CU ahead, 9-1.
CU picked up insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings that turned to be vital. Joyce started the seventh with a double and his pinch runner – Hamilton – came around to score on a sac fly by Stober.
In the eighth, Milligan fell victim to a pair of wild pitches that scored Hamilton from third base and putting CU ahead, 10-1.
Nathan Atkinson picked up the loss for Milligan on the mound, as the Buffs tossed out five total pitched. Ryan young and Clayton Connor both had multi-hit games and drove in one run a piece. Julian Johnson led Milligan with two RBI.
Campbellsville will now have three days to prepare for Bryan College and Tennessee Wesleyan. The Tigers and Bulldogs play a nine-inning game on Friday, Feb. 24 and a doubleheader vs. the Bryan Lions on Saturday, Feb. 25. CU will then cap the road-swing with another nine-inning game vs. Tennessee Wesleyan on Sunday, Feb. 26.
