BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Two-seeded University of the Cumberlands may have been playing with a chip on its shoulder tonight after Campbellsville stole the Mid-South Conference regular season championship from the hands of the Patriots two weeks ago. Well, Cumberlands was able to seek revenge tonight by defeating the top-seeded Tigers 6-1 into the morning on Sunday.
After playing the first game of the tournament this morning and MSC officials attempting to play four games on Saturday, that meant CU (32-18) was playing the first game and the last.
In the night cap, the Patriots (41-15) pushed three runs across in the first inning and that was all they needed to pull the mini upset.
Carlos Garmendia allowed the leadoff batter, Kevin Pantoja, to reach on an error and starter
Indalecio Romo (4-2) allowed consecutive singles – one of those an RBI knock by Chase Schmittou – to put UC ahead, 1-0. Then an RBI double by Landon Byron scored another and Guillermo Villegas pushed across another with a fielder's choice.
Romo, who didn't have his best stuff, calmed down after that and lasted 5.1 innings, allowing five hits – three of those in the first inning – and three earned runs. He also struck out a season-high seven batters. In total, CU tossed out four pitchers –
Malik Evans,
Kirby Broadbent and
Dexter Cline in the final 3.2 innings.
Campbellsville cut into the lead after
Matt Valdez led off the fourth inning with one of his two doubles and
Brett Hamilton scored him with a base knock up the middle. But the Tigers stranded 11 runners after that and could not scratch another run on starter Manny Castellano and reliever Jeff Rivera.
Castellano went seven strong innings, allowed five hits and the one run in the fourth, which was unearned.
In the sixth, the Patriots scored two more runs after a leadoff walk started the inning. Out of the nine innings, five of those started with a free base allowed by the Tigers (four walks and one error).
In the seventh, UC added on with another run to lead 6-1.
The Tigers started to rally but that was short lived after Rivera entered from the bullpen.
Clay Valenzuela-Reece singled to start the inning and was followed with a catcher's interference call allowing
Hunter Christensen to reach without any outs. But
Diego Reynoso lined out sharply to short and Roberto Prado doubled-off Valenzuela-Reece to end the rally.
In the eighth, CU had a big opportunity once again.
David Montoya singled to lead off the frame and was followed with a
Romello Carbuccia hit by pitch. Rivera then replaced Castellano without any outs and he got out of the jam in a big way. Rivera gave up a jam-shot single to Hamilton for his second hit of the day, but Rivera struck out Garmendia, Valenzuela-Reece and Christensen to end the threat.
Campbellsville will now play University of Pikeville once again on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. ET in an elimination game. Cumberlands awaits the winner of that game with first pitch of the championship rounds scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET at Bowling Green Ball Park.
All games will be streamed on the CU Sports Network at the link above.
