KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Campbellsville University Lady Tigers took the road on Wednesday afternoon for a midweek doubleheader against the Johnson University Royals. Campbellsville experienced a tale of two games, dropping the opener 7-1 before roaring back to claim the nightcap by the exact same 7-1 margin.
- Outfielders Macy McCoy and Ashlan Estep paced the Campbellsville offense, finishing the day with three RBIs apiece across the two contests.
- Estep and catcher Rylee Warner were consistent forces at the plate, leading the Lady Tigers with three hits each on the afternoon.
- Senior pitcher Emma Markham struck out two Johnson batters in the first game, while junior Leah Holland was dominant in the nightcap, striking out six Royals to earn the win.
- The Lady Tigers will be back in action, hosting the Freed-Hardeman University Lions for a Mid-South Conference doubleheader on Friday, April 3rd, beginning at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. ET.
GAME ONE: Johnson 7, Campbellsville 1
The Royals set the tone early in the first game, utilizing the long ball to jump out to a quick lead. Johnson launched home runs during their share of both the first and second innings, building an early advantage while the Lady Tigers were still trying to find their offensive rhythm.
Campbellsville was able to respond in the top of the third inning.
Macy McCoy sparked the offense by getting on base and subsequently crossed the plate on a well-executed sacrifice fly to center field by
Lydia Jones, cutting into the deficit.
However, Johnson answered emphatically in the bottom half of the inning. The Royals racked up four runs on a string of hits that included two doubles and a single, pushing the game out of reach.
The final scoring play of the first game took place during the bottom of the fourth, with the Royals scratching across one more insurance run. In the remaining three innings of the contest, the Lady Tigers attempted to mount a comeback—highlighted by McCoy reaching base via a walk and
Rylee Warner lacing a single to left-center—but the Royals' defense held firm to secure the 7-1 result.
GAME TWO: Campbellsville 7, Johnson 1
Refusing to be swept, Campbellsville came into the second game swinging. The Lady Tigers struck immediately in the top of the first inning, with
Hannah Hackworth and McCoy each delivering RBI singles up the middle to put Campbellsville on the scoreboard with an early 2-0 lead.
Meanwhile, pitcher
Leah Holland was in absolute control in the circle. Johnson saw very little action early on; while a couple of batters earned free bases, Holland and the Campbellsville defense kept them from crossing home plate.
The third inning proved to be the defining moment for the Lady Tigers. McCoy continued her stellar day at the plate with a clutch two-run single, bringing both Hackworth and Warner across the plate. The momentum became contagious, as
Jessie Daniels,
Madison Reed, and
Ashlan Estep racked up three straight singles. The offensive barrage forced a Johnson pitching change and resulted in two more runs for Campbellsville, extending the lead to 6-0.
The fourth inning was short-lived for both squads, as the pitchers settled in and retired the sides in 1-2-3 order in their respective halves of the frame.
Campbellsville added one final insurance run in the top of the fifth inning. After Estep reached base on a fielder's choice, aggressive baserunning allowed McCoy to cross the plate once more, extending the Lady Tigers' upper hand to 7-0.
Johnson's lone run of the second game took place in the bottom of the fifth via a solo home run, but Holland quickly shut the door on any potential rally. Holland finished the complete-game effort with six strikeouts, easily preserving Campbellsville's 7-1 advantage to salvage the doubleheader split.
