WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. — Even an hour and 26-minute rain delay couldn't stop Campbellsville's momentum, as the Tigers rallied in the eighth inning to scratch two runs and come from behind to upset No. 20 University of the Cumberlands, 7-6.
 
Cumberlands (36-14, 12-6 MSC) held a two-game lead coming into the week and the Tigers (29-16, 13-5 MSC) had a big uphill climb needing all three to rally for their eighth Mid-South Conference regular season championship, but coach Beauford Sanders' club prevailed with flying colors and their backs against the wall.
 
With the victory, Campbellsville earns the automatic bid to the Mid-South Conference Tournament final site in Bowling Green, Ky. at Bowling Green Ball Park on May 5-7. Cumberlands will play the No. 7 seed Shawnee State University in Williamsburg for a best of three series next weekend.
 
After being at the yard for a little over four hours, it was a Brett Hamilton high-chopping single to left field in the eighth inning to score the game-tying run. But a throw from Bryan Benz ricocheted off the catcher Andrew Ramos and went into the dugout, scoring what ended up being the game-tying run in Carlos Garmendia.
 
Hamilton led the Tigers going 3-for-4 with two RBI. Garmendia went 2-for-3 with a walk and scored three of the seven CU runs.
 
The scoring:
The day started with an 11 a.m. ET first pitch but did not finish until close to 3:15. Sanders and his staff had one of those "hunches" to start a pitcher who hadn't started a game all season. They wanted to let him see how far he can go and let the bullpen do the rest. Well after being throw into the fire, Kirby Broadbent gave the Tigers a solid two innings of work and CU's staff battled the rest of the way but was highlighted by 5 2/3 innings of shutout baseball by DJ Wilson (5-2).
 
Cumberlands pushed a run in the first after a few infield singles and a fielders choice but like CU did all weekend, the Tigers answered right back with a three-spot in the second. Hunter Christensen doubled to deep left-center field to score one and a Diego Reynoso fielders choice scored Garmendia, as he snuck in under a tag at home pate. Reynoso stole second and then came around to score on a Riley Joyce single putting CU ahead, 3-1.
 
Broadbent lost his control a touch with one out in the third and Cumberlands made him pay by tying the game at three. Jared Welander came into a first and second one-out situation but a Chase Schmittou single and a passed ball scored the two runs.
 
The Tigers rallied right back in the fourth before the lengthy rain delay. Garmendia singled to leadoff the inning and scored on a double by Hamilton before play was halted due to severe weather.
 
The Patriots used that to their advantage and Zach Hurley came out after the delay to work out of a jam with three strikeouts in the fourth. UC also put up a three-spot in the fourth off Welander to push its lead to 6-4.
 
But once again, the Tigers brought the deficit within one run by answering in the fifth. David Montoya advanced to third on a Clay Valenzuela-Reece double and eventually scored on a wild pitch by Hurley.
 
After getting just one base runner on in the next two innings, that set up the game-winner by Hamilton.