BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Kicking off the Mid-South Conference Tournament, the Campbellsville Tigers matched up against the Cumberland University Phoenix. The Tigers were 1-2 against the Phoenix this season, looking to even the record in the opening round. Unfortunately, the Tigers lost the game, 5-2.
The Tigers' offense went quietly in the top of the first inning, bringing Ryan McFarland to the mound for the bottom of the frame. This was McFarland's seventh start and 16th appearance of the season. Though the righty surrendered a leadoff single, he bared down and retired the next three batters, finishing the inning with a big strikeout.
Lorenzo Gonzalez got the offense going in the top of the second inning with a leadoff double to shallow center field. Gonzalez was pinch run for by Trey Proctor, but the next three batters were retired in order, leaving the speedster stranded.
McFarland plunked the leadoff batter in the bottom of the second inning and walked the next man. Good under pressure, the righty retired the next three batters in order for the second time, keeping the Phoenix scoreless.
The Tigers were sat down in order in the top of the third inning, bringing McFarland back to the mound for the bottom of the frame. After surrendering a leadoff walk, the righty retired the next man on a sac-bunt, allowing the runner on first base to advance. The next batter popped up to third base, and then a two-out double allowed the Phoenix to draw first blood. The next batter followed up with an RBI-double to right field, and then McFarland induced a flyout to center field to limit the damage.
The first two Tigers were retired in the top of the fourth inning, and then Gonzalez singled to right field for his second hit of the game. Proctor pinch-ran for Gonzalez and swiped second to give the Tigers a scoring chance. Unfortunately, the speedster was left stranded again.
McFarland continued on the mound in the bottom of the fourth inning and plunked the leadoff batter. The Phoenix executed another sac-bunt to move the runner over, and then a triple to center field brought him home. The next batter hit a ground ball to second base, and the throw home caught the runner at third in a pickle. The Tigers were able to collect the out, though the batter managed to reach second base during the rundown. McFarland retired the final batter of the inning with a groundout to shortstop.
Other than a single from Jaxson Grubbs, the Tigers went quietly in the top of the fifth inning. McFarland continued on the bump in the bottom of the fifth inning, kept his rhythm, and retired the side in order.
Tate Wischnack led off the top of the sixth inning with a single to center field, and then Yosuke Fujie moved him over with a groundout to first base. The Tigers' offense was unable to capitalize again, leaving Wischnack stranded.
McFarland continued on the mound in the bottom of the sixth inning and stayed in the groove. The righty retired the side in order for the second consecutive time and picked up his second strikeout.
Chasing a three-run deficit in the top of the seventh inning, the Tigers looked to cut into the lead. Trent Buchanan led off with a single up the middle, and then Henry Wright followed up with a single through the six-hole. Grubbs loaded the bases with a one-out walk, and then Zane Skansi broke the shutout with a sac-fly to right field. The Phoenix were forced to make a pitching change, which proved beneficial, as the reliever picked up a strikeout to finish the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, McFarland went back out to the mound and retired the first two batters of the frame. Though he surrendered a two-out walk, a groundout to second base helped keep the Tigers in the game.
After the first Tigers' batter was retired in the top of the eighth inning, Antony Gilbert passed the torch with a single up the middle, though the offense couldn't bring him home.
Although McFarland's pitch count was elevated, he bulldogged up and went back out for the bottom of the eighth inning, but a leadoff homerun forced the Tigers to go to their bullpen. Jackson Dollar took over for McFarland, making his 15th appearance of the season. Though he was able to collect the first out, the Phoenix loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a hit-by-pitch. The Tigers were forced to dig deeper into their bullpen and called for Ethan Wood to take over on the mound. Making his 12th appearance of the season, Wood surrendered a single to center field that plated the fifth run for the Phoenix. The next batter hit a high chopper to third base, which looked like it might've plated another run, but Fujie made an acrobatic play to gun down the runner at home. With the bases still loaded, Wood locked in and finished the inning with a big strikeout.
Down to their last three outs, the Tigers made one final push to tie the game in the top of the ninth inning. Buchanan and Wright kicked off the inning with back-to-back singles, and then Tanner Park loaded the bases with a walk. Pinch-hitting for Grubbs, Bret Bowers grounded into a double play that plated Buchanan, holding the Tigers to one run in the inning.
The Tigers lost the game with two runs on nine hits with no errors, and the Phoenix won with five runs on six hits and no errors.
Falling into the loser's bracket, the Tigers will play an elimination game tomorrow, Thursday, May 1st, against Lindsey Wilson College in hopes of staying alive in the tournament. Due to the forecasted weather, the game is set to start earlier than initially planned, and it is set to begin at 10:30 a.m. ET.
