BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – After falling behind 4-0 early on, Campbellsville played from behind throughout the first three-and-half innings, but came back to win, 9-8, against Cumberland University on Friday afternoon at Bowling Green Ballpark.
 
The Tigers (34-15) used a four-run fourth inning to take the lead and Tyson Solis led the way going 4-for-5 with three runs scored and one run batted in. Ty Housden and Bryson Wallet also had multi-hit contests as the duo each went 2-for-4. 
 
The Phoenix (33-18) came out firing against Tyler Deason scoring four runs on five hits in the first inning. Deason struck out his first two batters, but three-straight singles resulted in Cumberland taking a 2-0 lead. Then Hector Morales hit a two-run home run to centerfield giving the Phoenix a 4-0 edge. Despite allowing the four runs, Deason still struck out the side in the first inning.
 
Campbellsville did not back down as it scored two runs in its half of the first inning. Matthew Valdez led off the inning with a walk and then two pitches later, Solis drilled a ball down the third base line. Following a bobble from the Phoenix left fielder, Solis moved up to third base after the double and Valdez came around to score from first base.
 
In the first inning, the two teams combined for six runs, but after a pair of 1-2-3 half innings, both teams sent a combined six batters to the plate in the second inning.
 
Offenses came back alive in the third inning, where both teams scored two runs. A pair of Tiger errors helped Cumberland score its two runs in the third inning, while Logan Roberts drove in a run on sacrifice fly and Housden doubled out right-center field to make it a 6-4 game after three innings. 
 
The Phoenix increased their lead to to 7-4, following a wild pitch in the fourth inning, but Campbellsville countered with four runs on three hits and two Cumberland errors in the bottom of the frame. 
 
With no outs and the bases loaded in the fourth inning, Valdez singled out to left field scoring Wallet and then an infield single from Solis brought home Chris Taitague to make it a one-run contest. Jalen Horton – pinch running for Brandon Douglas – scampered home a wild pitch, tying the game for the first time at seven. After the Phoenix recorded their first out, Marco Murillo hit a hot shot back to the Cumberland second baseman and the ball scooted under his glove, allowing Solis to score, but Murillo was put out at second base trying to move into scoring position. However, the Tigers took their first lead of the game, 8-7, and never looked back after four innings. 
 
Pitching for both sides settled in and threw up zeroes in the fifth and sixth innings. Logan Roberts had a stellar relief outing tossing three innings and striking out nine batters. He allowed one hit, one walk and the first batter he faced reached on a catcher's interference. Roberts got out of a bases loaded jam in the in the fourth inning with a strikeout and he went on to strikeout seven-straight batters to keep the Tigers on top, 8-7. 
 
A Bryson Wallet double off the wall in the right-center field gap with two outs allowed Campbellsville to score an unearned with Housden scoring from second after he reached on an error. The two-out run for the Tigers put them up, 9-7, with just two innings to play. 
 
DJ Wilson threw the final 2-2/3 innings allowing just one run and one hit. However, Wilson's lone hit allowed was a solo home run from Rayden Sierra in the ninth inning to make the score 9-8. Wilson clamped down and sat down Mykel Gordon and Jared Schmidt in order to seal the 9-8 victory for the Tigers.
 
Roberts (2-1) earned the win after a three-inning relief appearance, where all nine outs he recorded came via strikeouts. Deason got the start and allowed six runs – four earned – on six hits in three innings. Deason did record five strikeouts in three innings, while Brandon Diaz pitched a 1/3 inning with his out coming on a strikeout. The four Tiger pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts to tie their season-high as a pitching staff.
 
Wilson earned his ninth save of the season throwing the final 2-2/3 innings allowing just the one hit and one run.
 
Polo Portela (8-2) suffered the loss after allowing eight runs – five earned – on seven hits in four innings. Curtis Hoppe threw the last four innings and gave up an earned run and just one hit. 
 
With the win, the Tigers move on to the final game of the winner's bracket.
 
Campbellsville is back in action on Saturday afternoon at noon ET against University of the Cumberlands from Bowling Green Ballpark.

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