COLUMBIA, Ky. – The Campbellsville University Tigers baseball team captured the Pumpkin Classic Tournament championship over the weekend, posting a perfect 3-0 record. The Tigers earned victories against Georgetown College and two-time defending tournament champion Freed-Hardeman en route to their first Pumpkin Classic trophy since 2017.
The tournament began on Friday in Columbia, Ky., and concluded with two victories at Campbellsville's HIG Field. The Tigers' offense was potent throughout the event, outscoring opponents by a combined margin of 34-11.
Game One: Campbellsville 14, Georgetown 4
Campbellsville opened the tournament with a statement 14-4 mercy-rule victory over Georgetown College.
Brent Johnson set the tone immediately, launching a solo home run in the top of the first inning. Johnson finished the game 3-for-5 with three RBIs. The offense continued to produce, with Colton Carver adding a home run in the fifth. Catcher Tripp Wadlington also contributed a two-RBI single in the sixth inning.
On the mound, Joustin Torres started and gave up two runs over three innings with two strikeouts. The bullpen provided effective relief, beginning with Kasper Ellis, who tossed two scoreless innings with two strikeouts. After Andrew Day pitched the sixth, Brayden Minor entered in the seventh and threw a scoreless frame to close out the run-rule victory.
The Tigers amassed 14 runs on 12 hits and played error-free defense.
Game Two: Campbellsville 9, Freed-Hardeman 6
In their second game, the Tigers returned to HIG Field to defeat the reigning champion Freed-Hardeman Lions, 9-6.
Starter Brodie Tucker navigated 2.2 innings, allowing three runs. After 1.2 innings from Kasper Ellis, left-hander Jayden Parsons delivered a key performance out of the bullpen. Parsons quieted the Lions' offense over 3.1 innings, allowing just one run while striking out three.
Tristan Montgomery paced the offense, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Dakota Curtis followed with a two-hit, two-RBI performance, while Easton Blandford added two hits and one RBI. Tate McLean and Connor Willis were also noted for their strong defensive play.
Game Three (Championship): Campbellsville 11, Freed-Hardeman 1
Meeting Freed-Hardeman again for the title, Campbellsville delivered its most dominant performance in an 11-1 championship victory, once again decided in seven innings.
Starting pitcher Carter Odaffer was exceptional, controlling the game for 5.1 innings. He allowed only one run and recorded three strikeouts. Jake Flickinger entered in relief in the fifth with one runner on and induced an inning-ending double play on just four pitches.
Trailing 1-0 in the fourth inning, the Tiger offense erupted for four runs, sparked by a two-run double from Colton Carver and an RBI single from Easton Blandford. Campbellsville sealed the game in the top of the seventh with a seven-run inning, marked by competitive at-bats and clutch hitting with runners in scoring position.
Dalton Brigance took the mound for the bottom of the seventh and emphatically secured the championship, striking out the side to clinch the tournament trophy. The Tigers finished the title game with 11 runs on 14 hits.
