CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Campbellsville opens its 2018 season on Friday afternoon with a pair of nine-inning games against Taylor University at HIG Field with the first game of the doubleheader starting at 12:30 p.m. ET.
 
Following the alteration of its second-opening weekend, which featured playing five games in three days, the Tigers will now play its first three games at home before hitting the road next weekend.
 
Coming into the 2018 season, Campbellsville is the favorite to win the Mid-South Conference regular-season championship after winning the title for the third-straight season in 2017. In the conference preseason poll, the Tigers grabbed six of the eight first-place and 48 total points.
 
In the national ranking, Campbellsville is the only MSC team ranked inside the top 25 of the poll after earning 158 points.
 
Entering the season, the Tigers are set to have four new arms in the starting rotation, while looking at a few returners to key the bullpen. In the field, Campbellsville has a lot of new faces, but is set to have versatility throughout the lineup.
 
The Tigers return middle infielders David Montoya and Matthew Valdez, who both hit .308 in 2017. Valdez was a First Team All-MSC honoree last season and earned All-MSC Gold Glove accolades. Montoya joined Valdez on the Gold Glove team in the Mid-South Conference.
 
Taylor is 4-2 on the season after playing six games down in Florida last month. In the two losses, the Trojans were shutout both times and lost by a combined three runs. To start the season, Taylor lost a 2-0 contest at Florida Memorial College in the second half of a doubleheader. The second loss of the season came in the middle of the three-game series against Ave Maria University, 1-0. The Trojans highlighted their week in Florida with an 8-4 victory over No. 10 Keiser University.
 
In the early portion of the season, Taylor has hit .282 with Nathan Targgart hitting a team-best .522. The Trojan pitching staff has allowed the opposition to hit .168, while striking out 50 batters. Matt Patton appeared in two games throwing nine innings and surrender just three hits, while Tucker Waddups tossed seven innings in two games without giving up a hit, but he surrendered an unearned run.
 
The last time the two teams met was in a doubleheader during the 2016 season, when the two teams split the doubleheader at HIG Field. The Tigers took the opening game of the day on March 5, 2016, 5-0, but dropped the second game, 10-4.
 
First pitch on Friday afternoon is set for 12:30 p.m. ET from HIG Field with the second game to follow.
 
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