LAKE POINT, Ga. – Campbellsville University's baseball team matched up against #6 Faulkner University Friday afternoon. As the competition closed, the Tigers dropped the game to the Eagles 7-4.
Campbellsville struggled at the plate with a ground out and two strikeouts to begin the contest. The Eagles quickly string together three five hits in consecutive at-bats. Chad McCann stood on the mound for the Tigers and faced adversity with one strikeout under his belt. Josiah Clark solidified one of the final two outs as he tagged out a stealing runner at second base, and Jacob Balsley made a play on a throw to first base.
Campbellsville continued to face a deficit at the plate in both the second and the third inning. However, the Tigers shut out their opponent in their time at bat. In the bottom of the third, Faulkner suffered two outs with a backward K by McCann, followed by a ground out to McCann.
Luis Lopez entered the contest for McCann Lopez walked his first batter but forced the next batter into an infield fly to Noah Amenta. Faulkner's first batter stole their way around the bases to scoring position. The Eagles collected an RBI as a throw from shortstop to first give the runner enough time to score. Lopez struck out the final batter to finalize the inning.
At the top of the fifth, Campbellsville found relief at the plate. McCann was placed as the DH for the Tigers and seized his opportunity. McCann pushed a pitch to the right field for a stand-up double. Amenta followed up with a single to the opposite side of the field, which moved McCann into scoring position. Grant McQueary reached first on a throwing error, and all the runners moved around the bases. McCann crossed the plate to decrease the Tigers' discrepancy. Lorenzo Gonzalez singled to the green, which allowed Amenta to score. In the latter half of the inning, Lopez shut out the batters with two strikeouts and a pop fly.
Campbellsville heated the bats again in the top of the sixth. Clark started with a quick single to place himself on the bags. McCann, now batting .677, doubled to left field to advance Clark around to third. Amenta, leading at the play, batting 1.000, tallied an RBI single as Clark stepped home. The Tigers loaded the bases when Jacob White stepped up to the plate. White collected an RBI as he scored McCann on a sac fly.
The Eagles tacked on another run to further their score before closing out the seventh inning.
In the eighth inning of play, the Tigers put runners on the bases but left them stranded. Zane Morrison came onto the mound to relieve Lopez. Faulkner had suffered at a two-out discrepancy. The Eagles scored the runner placed on the bases by a walk. Campbellsville made the closing play at first and went into the dugout for their final at-bat.
Campbellsville could not collect any more runs in the final inning, as two runners stood on base. The Tigers fell to Faulkner, 7-4.
Campbellsville had one less hit (eight) than Faulkner (nine), but the Eagles acquired these hits at more opportune times. The Tigers tallied a .564 strike percentage against 40 batters. Faulkner, also facing 40 batters, amassed a .621 strike percentage. Amenta finished the day batting .667, while McCann finished .400 at the plate. Lopez finished with five strikeouts while only allowing two hits in the four innings he pitched.
The Tigers will extend their stay in Georgia as they compete against Webber International University and Point Park University tomorrow, February 18th. Campbellsville takes on the Warriors at 1 p.m. ET and the Bisons at 7 p.m. ET.
