Lady Tigers Fall in First Game of NAIA Opening Round

Softball | Mon, May 16, 2022 at 4:55 PM

Story Courtesy of Campbellsville Sports Information

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Lady Tigers hit the field for the 2022 NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round Monday afternoon against the Tennessee Wesleyan University Bulldogs. In the opening game of the Bowling Green Bracket, second-seeded Campbellsville lost to third-seeded Tennessee Wesleyan 3-2.
 
The Lady Tigers were 11-11 in NAIA Opening Round contests all-time going in to the game. Starting pitcher Katy Chadwell had a ball ground out to her for the first out of the game. Despite a single hit, Campbellsville saw four batters and put away three. The Bulldogs were top-20 in the NAIA with batting average against (.219 for 16th), earned run average (1.87 for 17th), and shutouts (14 for 18th). These defensive statistics were on display as they reciprocated Campbellsville’s stand seeing four at-bats before ending the inning.

A strikeout led things off for the Lady Tigers in the second frame but the next Bulldog up singled to left field. That runner was ousted though as Chadwell threw to second from a fielder’s choice and the next batter grounded out. Offensively, it was three up, three down for Campbellsville. The Bulldogs’ bats began burning as they collected two hits and a run in the top of the third. In response, the Lady Tigers picked up their first hit of the game from an Ashby Murt single to right field. Murt then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Lexi Miller sent Murt home when she smacked a ball over the center field fence for her 16th homer of the season.
 
Just over halfway through the game in the top of the fourth inning, the score was 2-1 in Campbellsville’s favor. Tennessee Wesleyan would not lie down, however. Quickly they would accumulate another two hits behind a single and a double. With runners on second and third and only a single out, the Lady Tigers escaped with two balls grounded out back-to-back. In their chance at the plate, Campbellsville would put up three batters and all were sent back to the dugout.
 
The fifth frame saw the Lady Tigers’ first error of the contest, and from there the Bulldogs hit two singles to retake the lead at 3-2. Despite grabbing two more hits in the half inning, the Campbellsville defense prevented any additional runners coming home behind a great play from Ryley Whitney catching a Bulldog stealing at home. After a strikeout, Emily Reynolds (pinch running for Keely Bowling following a hit by pitch) stole second base and then went to third on a Riley Hurst single to center field. Hurst herself would steal second, but with two runners in scoring position the field flipped back to Campbellsville for the sixth frame.
 
In the top of the sixth, Karson Williams took the mound in relief of Chadwell and only gave up a a single. Whitney was brought to base on a fielder’s choice but that was the only progress Campbellsville made with their opportunity at bat. In the final inning, Tennessee Wesleyan had their first batter single up the middle and the next was hit by a pitch. She was followed up by a sacrifice bunt pushing the two on base into scoring position, but the Lady Tigers would climb out of that jam to keep their deficit to just one going into their half of the frame. Unfortunately, it was three up, three down to end the game 3-2 Bulldogs.
 
The story of the contest was hits: Tennessee Wesleyan amassed 12 while Campbellsville had three. The Lady Tigers will be in action tomorrow in the consolation bracket at 4:30 p.m. ET. They will face the loser of the Central Methodist and St. Mary of the Woods game.