CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – The Campbellsville Tigers hosted the Phoenix of Cumberland University on Saturday afternoon. In the first game of the two-day series, the Tigers fell to the Phoenix 19-5.
Garrett Maloney opened on the mound for the Tigers. Maloney and the Tigers quickly retired the top half of the inning, striking out two of the three batters. In the bottom half, Jorge Gonzalez was hit by a pitch to reach base. Kale Seitz moved J. Gonzalez to second with a bunt for a single. Unfortunately, J. Gonzalez and Seitz were left stranded.
The Phoenix managed to put one runner on base to begin the second inning but couldn't capitalize. Trent Buchanan opened the bottom half with a single to right center, and Reid Sturn came in to pinch run. Sturn stole second and advanced to third on the throw but was left on base when the final out was recorded.
Maloney shut all three batters with strikeouts to move into the bottom of the third. Chad McCann was given free bases with a balk but was left on base.
An infield error allowed the Phoenix to put a runner on base in the fourth inning and advanced to second on a throw. Another runner reached base after being hit by a pitch, putting runners at first and second. A double to right center sent both runners across the plate for the first two runs of the ball game. With the bases loaded, the Phoenix sent a pitch over the center field fence for a grand slam. Cumberland followed with another pitch to the exact same spot for back-to-back homeruns. The Phoenix took an 8-0 lead over the Tigers to move into the bottom of the fourth. Trent Buchanan singled to right center to land on first base with Sturn pinch running. Yosuke Fujie reached on an infield error, advancing Sturn into scoring position at second base. The Tigers couldn't capitalize with runners on base.
Jackson Dollar took over on the mound for Maloney to begin the fifth inning. With two Phoenix runners on base, another pitch was sent over the center field fence to extend their lead to 11-0. In the bottom half, Amayas Lamar sent a pitch over the left field fence to put the Tigers on the scoreboard. J. Gonzalez and Seitz reached via walks, followed by a single from Henry Wright to score J. Gonzalez. Trent Buchanan was given free bases on a walk but was left on base.
Cameron Hood relieved Dollar on the mound to start the top of the sixth. The Tigers and Hood put away the Phoenix in a three up, three down fashion. In the bottom half, Mael Zan came in to pinch hit, sending the first pitch over the left field fence to add one more to the Tigers' side of the scoreboard.
In the top of the seventh, Cumberland landed a single and a double with their first two runners. After runners reached via walk and a hit by pitch, plus sending their 13th run across the plate, Jackson Izatt came to the mound for the Tigers. Before the final out was recorded, the scoreboard read 13-3 in favor of the Phoenix. Wright reached via walk with two outs, followed by a two-run homerun over the left center fence from Lorenzo Gonzalez. Bret Bowers found himself on base after a walk but was left stranded.
Chad McCann came to the mound for the Tigers. Cumberland put two more runners on base but couldn't add to their lead. Lamar singled to right field but couldn't make it around the bases.
In the ninth inning, the Phoenix added two runs to their side of the scoreboard before Connor Martin took over on the mound. The first pitch from Martin was sent over the left field fence for another Cumberland grand slam. The Phoenix led 19-5 to go into the bottom of the ninth. The Tigers were put away in three up, three down fashion to end the ball game.
The Tigers will be back in action tomorrow, Sunday, March 24th, for the doubleheader portion of the series against Cumberland University in Campbellsville, Kentucky. The games are set to begin at 1 p.m. ET and 4 p.m. ET.
