Box Score BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — it just wasn't meant to be for Campbellsville as the Tigers pitching staff allowed a season-high 14 walks and finish the tournament with a total of 31 in four games, and University of the Cumberlands scored nine runs off those free bases to win the Mid-South Conference Tournament championship, 16-7.
 
In a game that was just shy of four hours, the first two innings were the difference maker as a combined 15 runs came across the plate. CU (33-19) started the scoring in the first with a three-spot but Cumberlands (42-15) answered with four in the bottom half to lead, 4-3.
 
In the second, the Tigers scratched two more runs but Cumberlands came right back with a six-spot to lead 10-5 after two innings. That was as close at Campbellsville would get as reliever Zach Hurley relieved starter Colton Easterwood in the first inning and dominated the rest of the way, tossing 7.2 innings, allowing nine hits and striking out a career-high 13 in a 150-pitch performance.
 
The Tigers' pitching staff struggled overall, as starter Jared Welander did not get out of the first inning either, walking five batters and allowing four earned runs. Ray Fernandez relieved him in the first and pitched through two outs in the second inning but also allowed five walks and six earned runs. The duo allowed a combined 10 walks and nine of those came around to score.
 
The Patriots kept the pedal to floor with a three-spot in the third and two runs in the sixth to extend their lead to 15-5. In the eighth, another run came around to score but the Tigers pushed across two in the ninth to cut the deficit to nine.
 
The Tigers used five pitches – Welander, Fernandez, Dillon Day, Dexter Cline and Clayton Carrico. Cline and Carrcio combined to toss six innings and allowed six hits and three earned runs.
 
Leading CU at the plate was a 3-for-5 night for David Montoya and two hits for Clay Valenzuela-Reece. Cumberlands only finished with nine hits to score its 16 runs. Bryan Benz had two, while Andrew Ramos had two as well, including a two-run home run in the sixth.
 
The Patriots will now earn the automatic bid the NAIA Opening Round Championship scheduled for May 15-18 at various host sites across the country. The Tigers are hoping an at-large bid as the 23^rd-ranked team in the NAIA.