CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – The Tigers started the season with a season opening split against Taylor University, where Campbellsville dropped the first game, 7-3, but got up early to win game two at HIG Field, 6-2.
 
Despite compiling 17 hits during the day, the Tigers (1-1) left 20 runners on base over the first two games of the regular season. During the doubleheader against the Trojans (5-3), Tyler Deason was the only player for Campbellsville to record a hit in both games and went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate.
 
Game 1: Taylor 7, Campbellsville 3
 
Both starting pitchers rolled to start the first game with neither team scoring until the fifth inning. Taylor and Campbellsville combined for four hits through the first four innings.
 
The Trojans finally strung some hits together against Mikey Hooper in the fifth inning after they turned three hits and an error into three runs. Just two innings later, Taylor pushed their lead to seven with two more runs in the top of the seventh inning.
 
In the home half of the seventh inning, the Tigers finally broke through against Matt Patton with a pair of runs. Marco Murillo got the inning started with a leadoff single and David Montoya placed runners on second and third with a double deep down the left field line.
 
Murillo scored on a sacrifice fly from Shane Stober and with two outs Jalen Horton pushed a bunt down the third base line to put runners on the corners. The Tigers successfully executed the double steal as Montoya scored on the play. Campbellsville's threat sputtered out after Horton was picked off second.
 
During the last at bat for the Trojans, they picked up a couple insurance runs after a bases loaded single drove in Austin Mettica and during the next at bat, Wyatt Whitman scored on wild pitch. Kirby Broadbent got of the jam and gave up just the two runs.
 
Looking to come from behind in the bottom of ninth inning, the Tigers loaded the bases with one out in the inning and a sacrifice fly from Chris Taitague brought in Murillo from third base to make it a 7-3 ball game with two outs. Deason came in to pinch hit and singled to load the bases once again. Matthew Valdez came up as the tying run and hit a rocket back up the box, but it went straight into Andrew Kennedy's glove to end the rally for the Tigers, and the Trojans escaped with a 7-3 win.
 
Patton (2-0) grabbed the win for Taylor throwing seven innings a striking out five batters, while allowing just six hits and a pair of runs.
 
Making his Campbellsville debut, Hooper (0-1) suffered the loss after tossing 4-1/3 innings and allowing two runs on three hits.
 
Game 2: Campbellsville 6, Taylor 2
 
After falling behind in the early going during game, the Tigers turned the tide in game two after jumping out to an early lead. Campbellsville scored in the first inning after Valdez led off the game with a double and Tyson Solis drove him in on the third pitch of the game with a single out right center field.
 
The Tiger continue to push runs across in the second inning with three runs on just one hit. The inning began with Connor Lowrie reaching base after a dropped third strike got away from Mettica. After Lowrie stole second base, Bryson Wallet was hit by a pitch and then Austin Peterson recorded the lone hit of the inning with a bunt to load the bases. Valdez and Solis were hit by pitches in back-to-back at bats to score the first two runs of the inning.
 
Campbellsville still had the bases loaded and Peterson came around to score following a double play. With the Tigers leading 4-0, the double play took the wind out the sails for Campbellsville as Murillo flied out one batter later to end the threat.
 
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Tigers tacked on two more runs to stretch their lead to six. With runners on second and third, Deason delivered his third hit of the day with a single back up the middle scoring Ty Housden and Valdez. Campbellsville tried to add on to its lead, but it left the bases loaded. In total, the Tigers left 13 runners on base in the second game of the day.
 
Logan Roberts cruised through the four innings without allowing a run and striking out five batters. In the fifth, Roberts gave up his first run of the day after a double play with runners on the corners scored the Trojans first run of game two.
 
Neither offense could produce another run until the eighth inning when the Taylor scored an unearned run to cut its deficit to four late in the game. Over the last two innings, neither team produced a hit and Campbellsville earned a doubleheader split with a 6-2 win in game two.
 
Roberts (1-0) recorded the win for the Tigers throwing five innings and allowing just four hits and a run. Parker Loutensock came in out the bullpen throwing three innings surrendering an unearned run and a hit. Justin Phillips closed the game for Campbellsville pitching a perfect ninth inning and striking out two batters.
 
Seven pitchers took the mound for Taylor in game two and Tucker Waddups (0-2) suffered the loss after going just two innings. Waddups gave up four runs on three hits – two of which came on his first three pitches.
 
The Tigers are back in action on Tuesday afternoon against Midway University at 3 p.m. ET at HIG Field. 

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