CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – A five-run fifth inning propelled the Campbellsville baseball team to an 8-5 victory over University of Pikeville in the first game of the Mid-South Conference series at HIG Field on Thursday afternoon.
 
The second and final day of the series is set to begin at noon ET with nine-inning game, followed a seven-inning game to wrap up the doubleheader on Friday.
 
Logan Roberts and David Montoya each finished with two hits, three RBIs, along with each of them belting two-run home runs to lead the Tiger (23-9, 4-1 MSC) offense. Marco Murillo and Tyson Solis finished with three hits apiece and each scored twice.
 
Another fast start got Campbellsville on the front foot with a 2-0 lead after the first inning. Following a leadoff walk from Matthew Valdez, Solis singled to left field to put runners on the corners. Roberts delivered his first RBI of the day with a single to left field scoring Valdez from third base. Two batters later, Tyler Deason attempted to steal second with Solis on third base after a fielder's choice, but Deason was caught stealing and it allowed Solis to score on the play.
 
Pikeville got one run back in the second inning after a sacrifice fly from Travis Haen brought in Jorge Perez to cut the Tiger lead to 2-1.
 
The Bears (19-13, 3-4 MSC) took the lead with a three-run fifth inning after racking up four hits. Jay Vincent scored Alec Barba – who started the inning with a single – and then with two outs, Brandon Sewell doubled to right-center field allowing two more runs to come across and giving Pikeville a 4-2 lead.
 
However, Campbellsville did not trail for long after scoring five runs in the home half of the fifth inning. With one-out in the inning, Roberts belted a two-run home run out to left-center field scoring Solis, after he reached on a single, to tie the game at four runs apiece.
 
After the second Tiger out, back-to-back doubles from DePaul Blunt and Murillo gave Campbellsville a 5-4 lead. The two-out rally continued with a two-run home run from Montoya to push the Tigers ahead 7-4 to cap off the fifth inning that saw eight runs and 10 hits combined between the two teams.
 
In the seventh inning, the Bears got one run back on bases loaded single from Sewell, which made it 7-5 in favor of Campbellsville. DJ Wilson came out the bullpen with the bases loaded and just one out. Wilson got out of the inning with out allowing a run and keeping the Tigers ahead.
 
Montoya got the run back in the next at-bat for Campbellsville with a two-out double in the bottom of the seventh inning scoring Murillo on the play and ending the seventh inning with the Tigers leading, 8-5.
 
Wilson slammed the door shut on Pikeville over the final two innings, allowing just one hit and picking up his sixth save of the campaign to seal the 8-5 victory for Campbellsville.
 
Nick Johnston got the start for the Tigers going four inning and allowing three hits and just one run. Kirby Broadbent (2-1) allowed three runs on four hits in the fifth inning, but he picked up the win after the Campbellsville offense scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth.
 
Justin Phillips pitched 1-1/3 innings allowing a pair of walks, one run and one hit to bridge the gap to Wilson – who tossed the final 2-2/3 innings for the Tigers.
 
Bruce Bell (4-2) suffered the loss after allowing six runs on nine hits in 4-2/3 innings on the mound for the Bears.
 
The three-game series between Campbellsville and Pikeville wraps up on Friday with a doubleheader at HIG Field starting at noon ET.

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