COLUMBIA, Ky. – The Lady Tigers, after a split on the first day against the Blue Raiders of Lindsey Wilson, split again for the rivalry series to ultimately go 2-2.
GAME ONE: Campbellsville 1, Lindsey Wilson 0
Neither team logged a hit in the first inning, going three up, three down. The Blue Raiders finally put one on base in the bottom of the second with a single, but the Lady Tigers would hold them at that lone smack.
Campbellsville had their third straight three-batter half-inning in the third while Lindsey Wilson managed another single. However, Jessie Daniels put a ball deep and over the fence in the fourth frame to bring herself around the bases. Lindsey Mitchell made it to first via error a couple of at-bats later, but a line out ended the Lady Tigers' stint on offense. Chadwell notched her third strikeout against the Blue Raiders' leadoff and then her fourth with the subsequent batter.
The third out came, and the game was already at the top of the fifth just 50 minutes after it was underway. Keely Bowling secured her first hit of the contest in the first at-bat for the frame, singling to left field. An out later, Kaeleigh Tuck followed suit with a single of her own, but both Campbellsville players on base were left stranded. Facing two outs, Lindsey Wilson mustered their own single, but Chadwell struck out the next at-bat to bring the Lady Tigers back to the plate.
It would be a short opportunity with all three initial batters returning to the dugout. In the bottom of the sixth, with two put-outs, the Blue Raiders connected for a double, but Chadwell again came up clutch with a strikeout to halt any hope Lindsey Wilson had of tying. Bowling would connect for her second single of the contest, but it was then up to the defense to hold off the Blue Raiders, and they did just that, 1-0.
Chadwell had five strikeouts in the defensive battle, and the opposing pitcher had eight. Both teams had four hits each, but Daniels' homer was the difference.
GAME TWO: Campbellsville 3, Lindsey Wilson 7
The Lady Tigers were grounded into a double play after Daniels' walk to kick things off in game two. After another out, Campbellsville put Lindsey Wilson's offense away three up, three down.
Things got moving in the second frame when, with two runners on, CamileConkright smacked a single up the middle to load the bases. After Tuck was walked, the Lady Tigers hit the scoreboard first. Immediately following that, Taylor Windell connected for an RBI single. Courtney Patterson struck out the first Blue Raider batter; however, two singles came back-to-back. After their own walk, Lindsey Wilson saw their bases full, just as Campbellsville did. In a pinch, Patterson sat down another batter. Instead of closing the frame, though, the Blue Raiders notched an RBI single, and Ellie Coley relieved Patterson. Coley allowed a single and a double for the Blue Raiders to move ahead 5-2 before the inning ended.
Lindsey Mitchell earned her first hit of the day in the third frame with her single. Morgan Carter followed suit with a double of her own, and then Bowling capped things off with an RBI single. Still down, Coley allowed just a single hit in Lindsey Wilson's share of the third inning.
It was three up, three down for the Lady Tigers in the fourth, while the Blue Raiders got one on with an error. Fortunately, that opportunity to extend their lead was nil as they caught her stealing for the final out of the frame. Looking to get their bats going again, the fifth inning began with an Emily Reynolds single for Campbellsville before she got out on a double play. After a flyout, the Blue Raiders faced a ready Lady Tigers defense that saw three at-bats and put all three away.
In the sixth inning, Campbellsville added another hit to their tally (Bowling's) before two straight fielder's choices finished their offense. Lindsey Wilson led off with a double and then had a pinch hitter step to the plate that knocked another ball to log an RBI and reach second. Reynolds headed to the mound to see out the remainder of game two. Though she sent the first batter she saw to the dugout, the subsequent Blue Raider doubled and sent in another runner, bringing the score to 7-3 for Lindsey Wilson.
With one last opportunity to make up the four-run gap, Campbellsville managed a hit by Daniels, and it was three straight outs from there.
The Lady Tigers paced the Blue Raiders in hits but left seven runners on base in the closing game of the series. Bowling had two hits to lead the team, while Mitchell had a team-high two RBIs.
Next, Campbellsville will host Asbury University on Wednesday, March 27th. That doubleheader will start at 2 p.m. ET.
