CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. —The Campbellsville Tigers kicked off their home-opening series on Monday afternoon with a doubleheader against the Lawrence Tech Blue Devils. This was the first time in program history that the two teams played against each other. The Tigers won the first game 4-1 and lost game two 4-1.
Game One: Campbellsville 4, Lawrence Tech 1
Garrett Maloney started on the mound for the Tigers, making his third start of the season. After allowing only one run over his first two starts, Maloney had set the bar high for his performance against the Blue Devils. Maloney began his campaign by retiring the first eight batters of the game in order, striking out four. It wasn't until the third inning that Maloney allowed the first base runner with a hit-by-pitch, followed by a strike out of the next batter for his fifth punch out. Maloney was hitless through three innings until a one-out double put a runner in scoring position in the fourth inning. Maloney was able to leave the runner stranded with a groundout and strikeout.
After a scoreless start for the Tigers' offense, a leadoff walk to Henry Wright in the second inning got the team up and going. The Tigers needed to move Wright to scoring position, and Jonah Bachiu got the job done with a sacrifice bunt. A passed ball allowed Wright to move to third, followed by a two-out walk to James Teets. Tate Wischnack, with an RBI single, gave the Tigers their first run.
As the Blue Devils struggled to face Maloney, Wright kicked things off again for the Tigers with a one-out infield single, followed by a walk to Bachiu. The Tigers took advantage of the Blue Devils' pitching struggles; Teets and Wischnack both worked walks, while Wright and Bachiu scored on three wild pitches.
In the fifth inning, the Tigers looked to add to their lead, as Zane Skansi and Antony Gilbert led the inning with back-to-back singles. However, a double play and strikeout from the Blue Devils kept the frame scoreless.
A quiet fifth inning for Maloney brought him to his final frame with a 3-0 lead. The Blue Devils began the sixth inning with a leadoff walk, but Lorenzo Gonzalez threw him out at second in an attempt to steal. This proved crucial for the Tigers, as the next Blue Devil hitter reached with an infield single. As Maloney tried to pick off the runner, the ball got away and allowed the runner to advance. Maloney walked the next batter, and the Blue Devils executed a double steal. An errant throw into the outfield and allowed the run to score. Maloney finished the inning with his seventh strikeout of the day, allowing just one unearned run over six innings with two hits and two walks.
Not comfortable with their two-run lead, the Tigers looked to add on in the sixth inning. Bret Bowers began with a leadoff single. The Tigers were forced to play small ball, and Gonzalez did his job with the team's second sacrifice bunt of the day. Nick Hagen came in to pinch hit for the Tigers, collecting a two-out RBI-single that scored Bowers.
With a 4-1 lead in the seventh inning, the Tigers called for Logan MacNiel to close the ballgame. MacNiel was flawless and struck out the side to secure a Tiger win.
The Campbellsville Tigers won game one with four runs on seven hits with two errors, and the Lawrence Tech Blue Devils fell with one run on two hits with no errors.
Game Two: Campbellsville 1, Lawrence Tech 4
Tristin Crusenberry took to the mound for the Tigers in game two, making his third start of the season. Crusenberry started strong for the Tigers, retiring the game's first two batters. However, a one-out walk and a double put the Blue Devils on the board first. A wild pitch followed by a hit batter put runners at the corners for Crusenberry, and the Blue Devils had their first-base runner get caught in a pickle, bringing the runner home from third. The Blue Devils threatened again in the second inning after a one-out single stole second, but Crusenberry was able to bear down and strand the runner.
The Tigers' offense struggled through the first three innings, unable to collect a hit. After Crusenberry finished his fourth and final inning, Gilbert stepped up with a leadoff double to start the bottom of the fourth. A wild pitch allowed Gilbert to move to third base, where Tanner Park cashed in the run with an RBI-groundout, cutting the Blue Devils' lead in half.
As Crusenberry's afternoon was cut shorter than expected, the Tigers looked to righty reliever Ian Roemer to keep them in the ballgame. Roemer allowed a single to his first batter, then retired the next seven batters in order with three strikeouts. Roemer was forced to pump the breaks on his cruise control after back-to-back doubles and an RBI-single in the seventh inning, scoring two more runs for the Blue Devils.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Skansi picked up a two-out single, though the offense was unable to bring him home. The Tigers' offense continued to struggle the remainder of the ballgame, as Bowers would be the only runner to reach base with a walk in the bottom of the seventh.
The Campbellsville Tigers lost game two with one run on two hits and an error, while the Lawrence Tech Blue Devils won with four runs on seven hits and an error.
The Tigers aim to get back above .500 when they return to the field on Tuesday, February 25th, with a doubleheader against the Brescia University Bearcats. The games are set to be played at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. ET.
- Today's matchup was the first time in Tiger baseball that Campbellsville faced the Blue Devils.
