CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – The Lady Tigers hosted Bethel University at their home opener Tuesday afternoon. The Lady Tigers utilized an offensive explosion to secure the first game, but fell in the second.
 
Game One: Campbellsville 9, Bethel 1
 
Campbellsville began the contest trailing Bethel as the Wildcats capitalized off a passed ball. However, the Lady Tigers brought energy to the plate to answer their deficit. Lexi Miller shot a missile over the left-field wall. Her teammate, Ryley Whitney, followed trend as she collected a solo walk around the bases. The Lady Tigers grew their lead when Sam McKee advanced Campbellsville 4-1 over the Wildcats with her two-run homer to right center. 
 
After allowing no runs for Bethel, Campbellsville came back to the bats firing. Ryleigh Oldham and Riley Hurst placed themselves in scoring position when Miller reached the plate. Miller's single to left field scored Oldham and Whitney's single scored Hurst. Campbellsville held the Wildcats at a five-run shortfall. 
 
Slim action resulted in a scoreless third inning, but Oldham changed the dynamic as her solo homer progressed the Lady Tigers 7-1 over Bethel. Campbellsville set themselves up to propel their lead over the Wildcats even more, but runners were left stranded on the corner bags as the fourth inning closed.
 
To begin the fifth, Taylor Windell's single accompanied by McKee's double put Campbellsville in position to score. Ashby Murt loaded up the bases as she took a pitch to the knee. Windell trotted home as pinch hitter, Madison Gregory, earned a walk herself. Oldham capped the game off as her single earned Campbellsville a score of 9-1 over Bethel. 
 
Hitting was a strong suit for the Lady Tigers in game one. Miller and Oldham had themselves a perfect game at the plate as they went three-for-three. Whitney and McKee followed closely behind as they finished with a .667 percent at the plate. All four of those Lady Tigers collected two RBIs apiece. Katy Chadwell accumulated a .677 strike percentage in the circle. 
 
Game Two: Campbellsville, 4 Bethel 9
 
There was a quiet first inning to begin the contest, but Bethel struck first in the second as the Wildcats acquired a three-run homerun to take the lead. The Lady Tigers were unable to cultivate hits into runs as the game entered the third inning. 
 
Bethel continued to push the ball into open spots of the field. Courtney Patterson was relieved on the mound by Karson Williams. With just one out, Murt tagged the runner advancing to second and then turned to throw the runner out at one. This intensity traveled to the plate as Campbellsville began to work the count to earn bases. With bases loaded, Payton Blade's single to right field batted in Hurst. McKee had a quality at bat as her hit to center turned into an RBI scoring Miller and McKee returned to the dugout. The Lady Tigers trailed by two runs at the end of three. 
 
Williams had a perfect top of the fourth as she forced the top three batters into grounding out to her circle. She executed three throws to first to get the Lady Tigers back at the plate. Campbellsville couldn't seem to muster up more runs to battle against the Wildcats. Bethel scored another run from racking up a few singles. They scored yet again with a two-run RBI. Emily Reynolds entered the circle to close the sixth inning. The Wildcats returned in the seventh inning with more runs to add to their score. With two outs and bases loaded, McKee finished the inning as she touched her bag to hold Bethel from scoring further. Hurst collected a solo homer in the bottom of the seventh, but her teammates were unable to join her as the Lady Tigers dropped the second match 9-4. 
 
Campbellsville did not do as well in the second match at the plate as they did game one, allowing homers in advantageous positions for the Wildcats. McKee and Hurst both collected a .500 at the plate. However, Campbellsville's pitchers outpitched Bethel's with a .626 strike percentage versus the Wildcat's .586 strike percentage. 
 
Campbellsville returns to the dirt of Hord Softball Field again this Friday as they will face off against University of Tennessee Southern. The Mid-South matchups against University of Tennessee Southern are set to begin at 2 and 4 p.m. ET.