CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — It was a tale of two games for the Tigers but Campbellsville prevailed to win the series over Shawnee State University with a split on Friday afternoon.
Shawnee State pulled the upset in game one after scoring four-straight unanswered runs in a 4-3 victory. In game two, it was Campbellsville's
Kirby Broadbent with a walk-off single securing the third conference series win for the Tigers, 1-0.
Campbellsville improves to 18-11 overall and 6-3 inside conference play. Shawnee State's drops to 7-21 overall and 3-6 inside the MSC.
Game one: Shawnee State 4, Campbellsville 3
The Tigers came alive for three runs in the third inning but were blanked by the trio of Kyle Warner, Joe Spano and Brady Knittel the rest of the way.
Matt Valdez came all the way around from first to score the games first after a dropped fly ball by centerfielder Mike Watson. CU plated two more in the second inning after a pair of one-out walks scampered home on a two-RBI single by Valdez.
But that was all CU could muster offensively. The Tigers had chances in the fourth, sixth and eighth innings with runners in scoring position but could not plate them, leaving 11 on base for the game.
In the third inning, the Bears tied the game at three with a bases-loaded clearing double by Knittle. Shawnee State scored another in the seventh inning off
Jared Welander after a one-out walk came around to put the Bears ahead for good on an RBI single by Grant Vanliew.
Spano (1-3) earned the victory for the Bears, while Knittle earned the save (2) and three RBI at the plate. Welander suffered the loss (1-2).
Nick Przybylek started on the hill for CU and went five innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs.
Game two: Campbellsville 1, Shawnee State 0 (7 innings)
It was a good old fashioned pitchers duel in the series finale that lasted only one hour and 30 minutes.
Indalecio Romo, coming off Tommy John surgery, has pitched brilliantly in his three appearances this season and today he did not disappoint. He tossed 68 pitches in five innings, allowing only one hit and striking out five. He sat the Bears down 1-2-3 in four of the five innings he saw.
In the other dugout it was Tyler Straley dominating CU until the final inning. Straley threw just 64 pitches in 6.1 innings, allowing five hits and one run – the game-winner for Broadbent.
CU struggled at the plate by not being able to capitalize with the short-game. The Tigers had three failed sacrifice bunt attempts and were unable to push a runner past second base until the walk-off.
In the last inning, Carbuccia singled into centerfield and stole second base before Broadbent turned on a 2-2 fastball up the middle.
Malik Evans (3-2) replaced Romo in the sixth inning but worked around a two-hit jam to pick up the victory.
Campbellsville will now get out of conference for a mid-week doubleheader with Indiana University Southeast on Tuesday, March 28. First pitched is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET at HIG Field.
