HENDERSON, Tenn. – The Campbellsville Tigers were on the road Friday to open the series against the Freed-Hardeman Lions. Trying to climb back following a 7-0 disadvantage after the first inning, the Tigers were unable to keep pace as the Lions maintained their distance, 13-7.
- Nick Hagen was a powerhouse at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a home run and 3 RBIs.
- Tate Wischnack contributed with 2 hits, including a double and an RBI.
- Jaxson Grubbs came off the bench to deliver a clutch two-run homer in the ninth.
- Thomas Krueger scored a run and added 2 hits, helping spark rallies.
- Kleysen Gabruck reached base multiple times and scored, keeping pressure on the defense.
- Joaquin Hernandez added an RBI, keeping the Tigers in the game late.
- The Tigers will be back tomorrow to continue the series against Freed-Hardeman with a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. ET.
The Tigers were held scoreless in the top of the first inning.
Brady Henke lined out to right,
Antony Gilbert grounded out to second, and
Jason Franzel struck out swinging.
The Lions erupted in the bottom of the first, scoring seven runs on a combination of timely hits, a fielder's choice, and back-to-back home runs. Campbellsville's pitching couldn't contain the early onslaught, leaving the Tigers in a 7-0 deficit.
Campbellsville battled back in the second, with
Thomas Krueger singling and
Kleysen Gabruck getting on base.
Tate Wischnack followed with a ground-rule double, driving in Krueger and moving Gabruck to third.
Joaquin Hernandez added an RBI groundout, and
Nick Hagen capped the inning with a two-run homer, bringing the Tigers closer at 7-4.
In the middle innings, Campbellsville managed just one run in the fourth on Hagen's RBI single, keeping the game in reach at 7-5. But Freed-Hardeman responded with back-to-back homers in the fourth inning, extending their lead to 9-5.
The Tigers threatened multiple times but were unable to score. In the fifth inning, Krueger and
Trey Proctor reached on walks and an error, loading the bases, but Campbellsville came up empty. The sixth inning saw more baserunners via hit-by-pitch and walks, leaving three stranded. In the seventh and eighth, the Tigers again had runners in scoring position but couldn't capitalize, leaving two on in the eighth.
Freed-Hardeman maintained control, hitting a solo homer in the fifth and a two-run homer in the seventh, and in the eighth, a combination of stolen bases, a groundout RBI, and walks pushed their lead to 13-5, holding Campbellsville at a distance for the rest of the game.
The final rally came in the ninth inning.
Tyler Hummel singled, and
Jaxson Grubbs crushed a two-run homer, scoring Hummel and cutting the final margin to 13-7, but it was not enough, and the Lions' early and late scoring proved decisive for the Tigers.
