MCKENZIE, Tenn. — The (RV) Campbellsville University Lady Tigers took on the Bethel University Lady Wildcats in the third and final game of the weekend series. In a marathon match-up that went deep into extra innings,
Madison Reed secured the dramatic 8-7 victory with an 11th-inning, two-run home run to seal the series sweep.
- Ashlan Estep and Lydia Jones paced the lineup at the plate with three hits each, while Jessie Daniels and Madison Reed each drove in a pair of crucial runs.
- Third baseman Madison Reed highlighted the offense and delivered the decisive blow of the marathon contest, crushing a go-ahead, two-run home run in the 11th inning.
- First baseman Jessie Daniels was a defensive powerhouse with a game-high 15 putouts, while second baseman Lydia Jones orchestrated the infield defense with eight assists.
- The Campbellsville pitching trio of Emma Markham, Ellie Coley, and Leah Holland combined to keep the Lady Wildcats at bay, striking out five batters and navigating high-pressure situations to secure the extra-inning victory.
- The Lady Tigers will be back in action, taking the road to Barbourville, Kentucky, to battle the Union Commonwealth University Bulldogs in a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday, April 15.
Lydia Jones opened the game with a single in the first inning, followed by
Jessie Daniels and
Karleigh Walker both reaching safely on fielder's choices, but the Lady Tigers were unable to score before the end of the frame.
In the second inning,
Korey Harris showcased great plate discipline, drawing a bases-loaded walk to push
Hannah Hackworth across the plate, making Campbellsville the first to score.
After a quiet third and fourth inning, the Lady Tigers extended their lead in the fifth.
Lydia Jones ripped an RBI single,
Karleigh Walker smashed an RBI double, and
Macy McCoy added an RBI single to build a 4-0 advantage. However, during their share of the inning, Bethel's offense came alive. Capitalizing on multiple RBI singles and aggressive baserunning, the Lady Wildcats completely erased the deficit to tie the score at 4-4.
Campbellsville was unable to score in the sixth, while the Lady Wildcats took their first lead of the game with a sacrifice fly shortly after. Refusing to falter, the Lady Tigers retaliated in the top of the seventh, tying the score at 5-5 with a clutch, game-saving RBI double from Daniels to force extra innings.
The eighth inning was short-lived for both teams, going down in 1-2-3 fashion. In the ninth,
Ashlan Estep and
Korey Harris sparked a rally, with Estep ultimately crossing the plate on a wild pitch to briefly reclaim the lead for Campbellsville. Bethel quickly responded with an RBI single in the bottom half of the frame to tie the score again at 6-6 and extend the marathon.
Both teams battled through a scoreless 10th inning, leaving runners stranded. In the top of the 11th,
Madison Reed took matters into her own hands, crushing a massive two-run home run to give the Lady Tigers an 8-6 advantage. Although Bethel managed to scratch across one final run in the bottom of the 11th on a fielder's choice, the Campbellsville pitching staff and defense shut the door to seal the 8-7 victory.
