SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Lady Tigers took to Texas for the NAIA Softball World Series Opening Round Tournament. For their opening contest after a short weather delay, #3 Campbellsville took on #2 Hope International University in a pitcher's duel. The Royals just edged the Lady Tigers, 1-0.
The Royals finished the 2023 season ranked 23
rd in the NAIA going 39-14 overall and 18-6 in the Golden State Athletic Conference. Most recently, they fell in the finals of the GSAC Tournament to Vanguard University. Hope International's Allie Puente, their starting pitcher, was named GSAC Pitcher of the Year with a .54 ERA in 29 starts and, as a result, the team was 4
th in the NAIA in batting average against for the year.
The Lady Tigers felt the effects of Puente's stellar pitching at the jump, going three up, three down to begin. Campbellsville's own All-Conference pitcher took the circle and, after a walk, struck out the second batter. Two outs hit the third and fourth batter and Campbellsville was back at the plate.
Hope International struck out five of Campbellsville's first six batters. The Royals got a runner on base via walk who would steal second and reach third, but still the score remained zeroes as the top of the third came around.
Following the first out,
Kaeleigh Tuck notched the first hit of the game with her single through the right side.
Ashby Murt slapped a sacrifice bunt to get Tuck to second, but the third out would come before she could advance with a fly out. To begin their stint on defense,
Caroline Pitcock robbed the Royals of what would have most likely been a double with an impressive snag at third. With two outs, Hope International had a Royal on at first from a throwing error but nothing would come of it.
After a three up, three down half-inning, Hope International got their first hit of the contest with a leadoff single through right field. However, three straight outs followed, and the game was knotted at zero with three frames left.
The Lady Tigers' first two outs of the fifth frame were the eighth and ninth strikeouts for the Royals.
Madison Davis fought off the rival pitcher's shoves with a single to left field, but she would be left on base. After an error put a runner on first, three straight outs kept the defensive battle going.
In the top of the sixth inning, Hope International connected on their second hit of the contest which also happened to be a home run over the left field wall. After taking the 1-0 lead and with two outs, the Royals singled twice but the Lady Tigers kept them from adding to their run total. In the top of the seventh, Campbellsville saw three quick outs and the game ended 1-0 for Hope International.
In the pitcher's duel, the Royals struck out 12 batters and had a strike percentage of .772 compared to the Lady Tigers' two and .662 respectively. Hope International didn't allow a single hit from leadoffs while their own leadoffs went 4-6 (.667). The Lady Tigers did keep the Royals to 1-14 (.071) with runners on, a testament to Campbellsville's team defensive play.
The Lady Tigers are set to continue their stay in San Antonio at the NAIA Opening Round and await the loser of #1 Our Lady of the Lake and #4 Taylor (Ind.). That game will take place at 2 p.m. ET Tuesday, May 16
th.
