WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. – Coming into a big weekend series the Campbellsville University and University of the Cumberlands baseball programs expected an even match-up and they got a doubleheader split on Friday with the No. 11 Patriots taking game one 8-2 and the Tigers taking 10-2.
The third inning made the big difference in game one with a handful of defensive mistakes plaguing Cumberlands in game two. For the Tigers, they had issues driving in runners in game one, leaving 11 total on base in the game but turned it around in the second game to put 10 on the board.
In the 8-2 game one win for University of the Cumberlands, that crucial third inning included CU squandering an opportunity in the top half and the Patriots taking advantage of two-out baserunners in the bottom half.
In the top of the third, Campbellsville loaded the bases with one out but left them there after
Austin Peterson popped into an infield fly that was followed by a ground out from
Bryson Wallet to end the inning.
In the bottom of the third, CU starter
Anthony Arias was cruising towards his third-straight scoreless frame before allowing a two-out double, followed by a walk before a three-run home run from UC right fielder Raudy Martinez to give the Patriots a 3-0 lead.
The Tigers looked to be back in the ball game in the fifth inning when
Adbiel Morales poked a two-run home run to left to make it a 3-2 ball game. But that's all Campbellsville would get in the game before Cumberlands extended the lead to 6-2 in the seventh before scoring two more in the eighth to get to the final of 8-2.
Arias had a solid outing on the mound outside of the three-run home run, finishing at 6.2 innings pitched allowing six runs, four earned on seven hits with two walks and 11 strikeouts.
Morales was the offensive star throughout the day for CU going 3-for-4 in game one with the two-run home run and following it up in game two with a 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles. Morales was filling in at the leadoff spot in the batting order with
Tyson Solis expected to be out for a few weeks with a leg injury.
Game two was a much different offensive performance for the Tigers as shown with the 10-run output. CU pounded out 13 hits with four hitters recording a two-hit game as Morales, Wallet,
Jack Bauer and
Cale Thompson each had a pair of hits in the ballgame.
Game two got off on the right foot for the Tigers as Morales doubled and was singled home by Bauer with an error on the center fielder allowing Bauer to get to third base with no outs.
Tyler Deason followed up with a sacrifice fly as CU led 2-0 after a half inning.
Like Campbellsville did in game one, Cumberlands appeared to be right back in the game after the bottom of the second inning when Kevin Rolon cracked a solo home run to tie the score at 2-2 after UC scored a run in the bottom of the first without recording a hit.
But like the second game mirrored the first, it was all Tigers after the second as they scored three runs in the third, all after two outs, a run in the fourth, and four runs in the fifth in support of starting pitcher
Eric Little. Little went four innings, earning the win, giving up just those two runs on three hits, a walk and finishing with five strikeouts.
Malcom Grady and
Gage O'Brien were dominant out of the pen in game two as Grady was especially filthy for the Tigers. Grady pitched two innings, retiring all six batters he face, the last five via strikeout. O'Brien allowed a few base runners in the seventh inning but threw a scoreless frame to finish off the 10-2 win.
Cumberlands and Campbellsville will play the series finale tomorrow with the first pitch scheduled for noon as whichever team wins will solidify a top spot in the conference standings here in the early part of Mid-South Conference play.
