CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — No. 22 Missouri Baptist scored in all but two innings on Tuesday afternoon and Campbellsville's offense could not keep up, falling in a twin bill, 12-8 and 11-4.
The Tigers (26-16) fell victim to a combined 16 strikeouts at the plate – the most in a doubleheader this season. Missouri Baptist (33-11), which moved from No. 22 to No. 10 in Tuesday's NAIA Coaches' Top 25 Poll, belted three home runs and put together 25 base hits in two games.
Like in many mid-week contests, both teams used at least four pitchers in each game but the Tigers starters struggled overall.
Malik Evans allowed four runs in just 2 2/3 innings, while
Dexter Cline allowed seven runs – only one earned – in two innings of the second game. Cline fell victim to an infield error with two outs in the second inning and MBU took advantage.
Hunter Christensen belted his first-career CU homer in game one to lead the Tigers going 3-for-3 with four RBI.
Matthew Valdez went 2-for-4 in game one, while
Marlor Villafana had two hits in each game.
Diego Reynoso also had two of the six hits in game two.
Campbellsville will now await its fate with the weather this weekend. The Tigers are scheduled to travel to University of the Cumberlands for a Mid-South Conference series starting on Friday, April 21 at 7 p.m. ET but storms are expected on Friday and Saturday.
Game one: Missouri Baptist 12, Campbellsville 8
The Spartans scored in every inning, including a pair of two-run and three-run frames. The Tigers attempted to keep up with the hot Missouri Baptist sticks but were blanked in the fourth and seventh innings.
Christensen delivered his two-run home run in the second inning two knot the game at one. After the Spartans plated another run in the bottom half of the second, CU answered once more to tie the game at three with a score in the third.
Riley Joyce singled and his pinch-runner
Jose Castro scored on a wild pitch.
Missouri Baptist answered right back in the bottom half once again to take a 4-3 lead and never trailed the rest of the way. Eventually, the Spartans led 7-3, but the Tigers clawed back with a four-spot in the fifth inning.
Christensen delivered a sac fly and was followed with and RBI single by Villafana for the first two runs. Joyce walked with the bases loaded and Villafana came around to score after
David Montoya reached on an error.
MBU answered again off reliever
DJ Wilson with two in the fifth and another three in the sixth to outlast the Tigers.
Wilson tossed 1 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits. Nicholas Hayes was the pitcher of record for MBU, tossing 1 1/3 innings, allowing a run on two hits.
Game two: Missouri Baptist 11, Campbellsville 4
The Spartans put up seven runs in the first two innings, including a six-run second to take control and never looked back. Cline fell victim to tough-luck defensive errors, as the Spartans scored seven runs but only one was earned – a solo home run to leadoff the first inning by Aaron Collazo.
Cline recorded two outs in the second inning but an infield error ended up allowing six more runs to cross.
CU scored one in the fourth and another in the sixth – both off a single and double by Villafana, respectively. The Tigers also plated two in the seventh but each run came off an error or wild pitch.
