BARBOURVILLE, Ky. —For their first nine-inning game of the season, the Campbellsville Tigers headed to Barbourville, Kentucky, for a mid-week match-up against the Union Commonwealth Bulldogs. Tuesday's game was their first meeting since 2023 when the Bulldogs beat the Tigers 13-5. After a frustrating four-loss series in Mississippi, the Tigers looked for success. The Tigers' offense played a significant role, beating the Bulldogs 11-9.
Campbellsville 11, Union Commonwealth 9
Chase Tucker made his third season start on the mound for the Tigers. Tucker got into trouble early, as he hit the first batter of the game, who stole second. With no outs and a runner in scoring position, Tucker punched out the next two hitters and induced a weak fly ball to right field to strand the runner.
Inning two was almost identical to the first, as he plunked his first batter, allowing him to reach second base with a steal. Tucker continued to shut down the offense, striking out the side to finish the inning.
The Tigers had originally planned for Tucker to pitch only two innings, but he took the mound in the third inning. Tucker got the first out, and the Tigers looked to Brody Forno to take over, who finished the inning successfully.
The Tigers' offense seemed to be adjusting to the cold weather early on, as they went scoreless through the first two innings. They warmed up quickly in the third inning when Lorenzo Gonzalez worked a one-out walk, followed by a Reid Sturn single for his first hit of the season. A passed ball moved both runners up, allowing Yosuke to land a single to score both. Trent Buchanan cashed in a single of his own, but all the Tigers managed in the third were two runs.
The Tigers went hitless in the fourth inning, though Zane Skansi and Shoki Fukui walked and were left stranded. The Bulldogs collected their first hit of the game with a leadoff double. While running to second base, the runner was hit by the throw, and the ball kicked away, sending him to third base. An RBI groundout scored the runner, but that was all the damage the Bulldogs would do in the inning.
In the fifth inning, the Tigers managed two base runners with two outs. Fujie walked, and Gilbert picked up an infield single, but they were unable to capitalize.
The Bulldogs had a different approach to the fifth inning, as a leadoff double, single, and three-run homerun gave them the lead. The following two batters reached with a single and a double, forcing the Tigers to dig deeper into their bullpen.
Right-hander Ryan McFarland took over for Forno with hopes of stopping the bleeding. McFarland struggled to find his rhythm, walking his first two batters and scoring a run. A passed ball plated another run, all while the Tigers had yet to collect an out. The next batter reached on an infield error, allowing another run to score. With runners at the corners, the Bulldogs attempted to steal second base, plating their seventh and final run of the inning on the throw to second.
With an 8-2 deficit to overcome, the Tigers decided to start the comeback in the sixth inning. Skansi got the Tigers up and rolling with a leadoff double, moving to third by a fly ball from Bret Bowers. Tanner Park kept things rolling with a double, followed by Gonzalez with an RBI single. Trey Proctor pinch-ran for Gonzalez, giving the Tigers a second runner in scoring position with a stolen base. Park was brought home by a wild pitch, and Fujie with a single that scored Proctor. The Bulldogs called for pitching relief in hopes of stopping the damage, but Antony Gilbert kept the offense going with a two-run double to cap off the five spot.
The Tigers called righty Ian Roemer to toe the rubber in the sixth. Roemer shut the Bulldogs down for the next two innings, retiring six straight with three strikeouts.
The Tigers needed to continue their offensive production in the seventh. Bowers reached on a hit-by-pitch to start it off. The Bulldogs brought in a new arm to help preserve the lead, but a pair of walks to Sturn and Park loaded the bases for the Tigers and brought Fujie to the plate. Fujie delivered his third hit and fourth RBI of the day with a single that scored Bowers to tie the game. With the bases loaded, Buchanan sent a line drive back at the pitcher, who caught it but threw it down the third base line, attempting to double-up Sturn at third. The error brought two more runs home, giving the Tigers the lead. Gilbert added the final run of the inning, reaching on an error to second base that brought Fujie home.
Taking over for Roemer in the eighth inning, making his first appearance for the Tigers, was righty Logan MacNiel. MacNiel retired the first batter he faced but gave up a double and a single that shortened the Tigers' lead to two runs. That would be all the Bulldogs would get in the inning, as MacNiel was able to hold the lead.
Closing the game out for the Tigers was righty Joe McBride, making his third appearance of the season. The first batter McBride faced reached on an error. The remaining Bulldog hitters were sat down in order with three strikeouts.
The Tigers beat the Bulldogs with 11 runs on 13 hits with two errors, while the Bulldogs managed nine runs on eight hits with three errors. The Tigers snapped their four-game losing streak with this victory.
Campbellsville will be back in action for their home-opener on Wednesday, February 19th, to take on the Indiana University Southeast Grenadiers. The game is set to begin at 2 p.m. ET.
- The Tigers and the Bulldogs have been facing off since their first match-up in 1990; the Tigers lost 1-6.
- Since then, Campbellsville has earned 30 wins against Union and 38 losses.
- Prior to this win, the Tigers' last win occurred in 2022.
