CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – Heading into the second weekend of conference play, the Campbellsville Tigers faced off against the Georgetown Tigers on Friday afternoon. Campbellsville took game one from Georgetown 5-1 in a pitching duel.

​Garrett Maloney got the nod for Campbellsville, making his seventh start of the season. After a less-than-ideal start last week against Bethel, Maloney looked to get back into his groove against Georgetown. In the first inning, Maloney surrendered a leadoff double, and back-to-back groundouts allowed the runner to score.

​Despite the leadoff double, Maloney was lights-out the remainder of his outing. The righty went on to retire the next 21 of 22 batters he faced, with the only other base runner reaching on a single in the fourth inning. Maloney finished his performance with seven innings pitched, allowing just one run and two hits while picking up five strikeouts.

​It took Campbellsville five innings to punch back, but they fought hard to respond in the previous innings. In the bottom of the first inning, Yosuke Fujie led off with a single, and Trent Buchanan replaced him at first base after a fielder's choice. Antony Gilbert heightened the threat with a single that moved Buchanan to scoring position, though both runners were left stranded.

​Campbellsville's offense went quietly in the second and third innings but threatened again in the bottom of the fourth inning. Zane Skansi led off with a walk, and Gilbert singled to move him into scoring position. A ball hit to third base resulted in Skansi and Gilbert getting doubled up, helping Georgetown escape the inning unharmed.

​After four scoreless innings from Campbellsville's offense, they looked to get on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning. Tanner Park got the offense going with a leadoff single to center field. Jaxson Grubbs followed up with another single and was pinch-run for by Tate Wischnack. Henry Wright got the job done and advanced both runners with a sac-bunt. As Georgetown wanted nothing to do with Fujie, they intentionally walked him to load the bases. Skansi chopped a high-ground ball to third with two outs and legged it out for an RBI single to tie the game. During the play, Wischnack tried to score when the ball was bobbled but was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

​Trying to build off the scoring momentum, Gilbert led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a single, then stole second with one out. After getting plunked, Lorenzo Gonzales added another base runner and was pinch-run for by Trey Proctor. Park singled up the middle to load the bases, then Grubbs cashed in a run with a groundout that scored Gilbert to take the lead.

​Campbellsville's offense threatened to add to their lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. Fujie led off with a single and found himself standing on third base with two outs after a stolen base and passed ball. Gilbert reached safely with a walk and immediately stole second to give the offense two men in scoring position, though they were both left stranded.

​Taking over for Maloney in the top of the eighth inning was Logan MacNiel, making his eighth appearance of the season. MacNiel continued Campbellsville's pitching dominance and retired the side in order.

​In desperate need of insurance runs, Campbellsville's offense made their final push in the bottom of the eighth inning. Park collected his third hit of the game with another single to center field, and Grubbs moved him to second reaching on an error. Campbellsville wanted to put some wheels on the basepaths, so they pinch-ran for both runners with Proctor and Shoki Fukui. Wright came up clutch for Campbellsville and torched a line-drive double off the left-field wall that scored both runners easily. Wright advanced to third on a wild pitch, which proved to be crucial, as Fujie scored him with a deep sac-fly to left field.

​With a four-run lead, MacNiel continued on the mound for Campbellsville in the top of the ninth inning. MacNiel continued to dominate and struck out the first two batters he faced. Though Georgetown was able to keep the inning alive with a two-out single, MacNiel secured the victory with his third strikeout.

​Campbellsville won the game with five runs on 11 hits and no errors, and Georgetown lost with one run on three hits and one error.

​Campbellsville will finish the series against Georgetown with a double-header tomorrow, March 22nd. The games are set to begin at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. ET.

• The Campbellsville Tigers and the Georgetown Tigers have been facing each other since 1990; earning a record of 77-47.
• Park collected a three-for-three day, landing a season-high three hits in today's game.