CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – The #20 Lady Tigers hosted the Midway Eagles Wednesday for a midday doubleheader. The Lady Tigers posted three homers in the first game, taking it 9-0 in five innings, and hit another three over the fence in game two, winning 8-0 in five frames again.
GAME ONE: Campbellsville 9, Midway 0
Katy Chadwell struck out the leadoff in three pitches. However, the bases were soon loaded after two hits and an error. Campbellsville escaped after strikeouts gave the final outs. The leadoff Hurst was walked. She then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. Ashby Murt sent her home, and then Payton Blades smacked a single. With two on, Morgan Carter launched a homerun. That wouldn't be the end, as Caroline Pitcock detonated too for her solo homerun. Taylor Windell fought a full count for a single to shallow left field and stole second, but the Lady Tigers were then sent back to the field.
It was a strikeout to start the second inning. A grounder to Brea Croslin and a pop-up to Hurst ended Midway's at-bat. Croslin hit one down the left line to third but was out at first. Following a strikeout, Murt knocked a single but was then caught stealing.
An Eagle bunt was thwarted for the initial out of the third frame. A pitch hit the next batter; then another put two on. A pop-up to shallow right meant the second out. A Midway single through center loaded the bases, but the Lady Tigers were sent to the dugout when the Midway batter stepped out of the box in her swing. It was a home run for Payton Blades to kick off Campbellsville's offense. After an out and a walk, a wild pitch put Pitcock on second. The Lady Tigers couldn't capitalize as Windell sent one to center that was caught, and then Madison Davis was struck out.
The Midway leadoff batter grounded out to second. Chadwell stood resolute and managed a strikeout after an eight-pitch at-bat. Then, a walk was on first, but a grounder to Hurst put the Lady Tigers back beside the plate. With Bowling on first after a walk, Croslin singled to left field. It was then that Hurst saw four balls and juiced the bases. A Murt line drive double up the middle sent the front two runners home. The runs didn't stop as a Blades ground ball to third sent Hurst across the plate to make things 8-0. Carter had hers snatched in the infield by second base. Pitcock's ground ball to right field brought the score up to 9-0, but her attempted steal ended the frame.
Allison Bush took over on the mound to close. The first Eagle to bat grounded out to second. Davis snagged a tough get and threw to first for the second out. Croslin then grabbed a high pop-up to end the game.
Chadwell had six strikeouts in the game. The Lady Tigers posted nine hits, with Murt, Blades, and Pitcock all collecting two each. Two of those hits by Blades and Pitcock went over the fence, as did a Davis dinger.
GAME TWO: Campbellsville 8, Midway 0
The first Eagles batter faced nine pitches from starter Courtney Patterson before she walked to first on a ball thrown just outside the box. Croslin's choice led to a ground out; then a pop-up had the Lady Tigers one out away from heading to the dugout. Patterson did just that with a subsequent strikeout. Hurst smacked a ball into right field that was snatched, Pitcock grounded one to shortstop, and Blades chopped a short one up the center to conclude the first frame.
Hurst telegraphed Midway's first connection and zipped it to first base for out one. The second batter hit one just outside Keely Bowling's outstretched glove at first for the initial hit of the contest. At the next at-bat, Croslin chose to toss the ball to second for out two, but the batter after that sent one to left field and made it on base. With the potential for Midway to score, Selynna Metcalfe dove for a ball to put Campbellsville's offense on. Carter got her second homer leading off for the Lady Tigers. After an out, Croslin took a trot after four straight balls. A fly put two outs on the board, but Kaeleigh Tuck hit a grounder to right field to make it to first. Selynna Metcalfe reached first on an error by the shortstop, and then Hurst hit a double down the left field line to score the two on. A line out sent Campbellsville's defense back out.
Patterson notched a strike out to begin the frame, and then it was a groundout to Hurst. Midway had a hit, but then a slight connection was picked up by Bowling who tagged up at first. Blades dropped a hit in the four hole. Carter clocked a ball to second base and reached on a fielder's choice. Windell again put her ball in the infield, which granted the Eagles a fielder's choice. Croslin smacked her first homer of the year to make things 6-0.
Emily Reynolds relieved Patterson at the top of the fourth and walked the first Eagle she saw at the plate. She had better luck with the next batter striking her out and, simultaneously, Tuck threw to Hurst, who caught the runner on first stealing. Reynolds then collected another k to put the Lady Tigers back on offense. A strikeout and a ground out to the pitcher put two quick outs on Campbellsville. Hurst put a ball between second and right field for a single. Hurst stole second and then beat the throw to touch home plate off a Pitcock single. The score going into the fifth frame was the Lady Tigers' at 7-0.
Reynolds put another strikeout on the board against Midway's leadoff, then caught a ground ball and sent it to first for out two. After a walk, an Eagle hit bounced off the left-center fence for a double. With two in scoring position, it was a groundout to third. For the Lady Tigers, Davis and Windell were out back-to-back. Croslin stepped up to the plate and clutched it, detonating for her second homer and ending the game 8-0.
Campbellsville racked up eight hits in game two with Croslin and Hurst leading the way with a pair each. Patterson and Reynolds allowed just four hits between them. As a team, the Lady Tigers hit .348 and held the Eagles to .222.
The Lady Tigers will return at Hord Softball Field on Wednesday, February 23rd, hitting the pitch against Missouri Baptist. That doubleheader will begin at 2 p.m. ET.
