CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Campbellsville starts a stretch of three-straight games on the road on Friday afternoon against Martin Methodist College at 3 p.m. ET in Pulaski, Tennessee.
Coming into the week, the Tigers hold a record of 10-7 after splitting a four-game series at home against then No. 18 University of Northwestern Ohio. Campbellsville won both games on Saturday, 4-3 and 3-0, but the Racers earned two wins on Sunday scoring 16 runs against the Tigers.
Matthew Valdez has paced Campbellsville on offense this season with a .361 batting average. The senior also leads the way in hits (22), runs (17), home runs (4), RBIs (9), slugging percentage (.639) and on-base percentage (.451). Valdez has guided the Tigers' to strong starts this season and they have outscored the opposition, 16-5 in the first inning. Campbellsville's 16 first-inning runs are its most in any inning this season.
As a team, the Tigers are hitting .272 at the plate and have driven in 60 runs. Campbellsville has one of the top defenses in the country as it ranks third in the NAIA with a .980 fielding percentage.
On the mound, the Tigers have posted a 3.54 earned run average and allowed their opponents to hit just .230. Six different pitchers have appeared in at least three games and recorded an ERA under 2.50. Last week,
DJ Wilson recorded his first two saves of the season to propel Campbellsville to its two wins over Northwestern Ohio. Among starting pitchers,
Nick Johnston,
Mikey Hooper and
Tyler Deason have recorded a team-leading two wins each.
Martin Methodist comes into the weekend with a record of 7-7 and started play in the Southern States Athletic Conference taking two-of-three games at home against Loyola University. The RedHawks are in the middle of an 11-game home stretch. Martin Methodist has played it opponents even this season as the RedHawks have scored 82 runs and given up 82 runs.
In just five games this season, Desmond Williams has guided Martin Methodist with a .636 batting average and a .727 slugging percentage. In his five appearances he has scored nine runs and has seven hits. The RedHawks have an earned run average of 5.21 with Matt Westberry leading the team with a 1.93 ERA in three relief appearances, which included a save. Out of the bullpen, Westberry has struck out seven of his 20 batters faced and allows hitters to post a .188 batting average.
The last time the two teams met was the season opener in 2016, when Campbellsville earned a pair of 1-0 victories over Martin Methodist in Pulaski, Tenn., to start the season.
Game one of the doubleheader is set to begin at 3 p.m. ET on Friday from Bobby Walker Field in Pulaski, Tenn.
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