The Lady Tigers’ Season Comes to an End With Split on Second Day of NAIA Opening Round

Softball | Tue, May 17, 2022 at 9:55 PM

Story Courtesy of Campbellsville Sports Information

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Campbellsville University softball team continued their play in the 2022 NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round Tuesday afternoon taking on the St. Mary of the Woods Pomeroys. They defeated the Pomeroys 4-3 and then immediately took on the Central Methodist University Eagles where Campbellsville rallied but come up short 5-4.
 
The Tigers sought to reestablish their at-bat play from the regular season after hitting a bit of a slump recently. Before the game began, Campbellsville led the NAIA in runs (445), hits (529), doubles (107), home runs (84), batting average (.360), on base percentage (.448), and slugging percentage (.617).

Campbellsville 4, St. Mary of the Woods 3
 
Beginning in the circle was Katy Chadwell. It would be a single up the middle for the lead-off batter and another single later would bring her in. With two runners on bases, a strikeout and a Pomeroy caught stealing took much needed pressure off the Lady Tigers. Another strikeout after that would give Campbellsville their first chance at bat. Ryley Whitney grabbed a two-out single and Taylor Windell was brought to base via error but that’s all they could muster.
 
It was three up, three down for St. Mary in the second inning and it was the same result for the Lady Tigers. The Pomeroys were connecting with the ball, but a sliding grab by Lexi Miller and a sprinting catch by Windell put up two outs. Back-to-back singles put St. Mary runners on second and third when another base hit pushed third base home to make the score 2-0. With their opportunities at the plate, Campbellsville managed a hit, but it would be three outs otherwise.
 
A foul fly would be the result for the first Pomeroy batter in the fourth frame. Despite two hits and threatening to score, the Lady Tigers defense shut down St. Mary’s attempts to grow their advantage. Windell was walked with four straight balls to begin the bottom of the fourth. A sacrifice bunt from Madison Davis sent Windell over to second. The Lady Tigers cut their deficit in half when Ashby Murt singled to center field and then advanced to third on an error while Windell went home. Although Payton Blades grounded out right after, her hit brought Murt across the plate to even the game. A Ryleigh Oldham double down the left field line put two Lady Tigers in scoring position but the inning ended right after.
 
In the top of the fifth frame and with Pomeroys on first and second, Hurst made a great sliding grab and toss to second to force the third out. On offense, Miller was hit by a pitch and Whitney singled to put two runners on. Hadlee Carter swapped in for Whitney to run while Windell connected on a sacrifice bunt to put the Lady Tigers into scoring position. Two flys would be caught though to squash Campbellsville’s mounting pressure.
 
Karson Williams came in to relieve Chadwell at the top of the sixth. St. Mary had only one base hit, but a fielder’s choice and an intentional walk had runners on second and third. Still, Campbellsville’s defense persisted, and they were able to escape the inning allowing no runs. After an out, Keely Bowling reached first on a throwing error from the Pomeroy shortstop. Sam McKee, pinch running for Bowling, was on third and Hurst was on first after being walked with two outs when Miller knocked a two RBI double. A base hit from Whitney kept things going but a third out would follow her. Although the Lady Tigers allowed a homer, they secured all three outs and the game ended 4-3.
 
With the win, Campbellsville moved to 38-17 on the season. Whitney led the Lady Tigers with three hits and Miller was just behind her with two (who had two RBIs for a team-high). Facing two outs, Campbellsville was 6-13 (.462).
 
Campbellsville 4, Central Methodist 5
 
The number one seeded Eagles struck out Hurst just before Miller smacked a single through the left side. That would be the only hit in Campbellsville’s first opportunity at bat. In their defensive stand, the Lady Tigers saw three batters and put them all away. At the plate to try again, Davis was walked and Murt made it to first from an error. Blades advanced Davis and Murt into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt but Central Methodist hung two outs before the runs could come in. An Eagles triple began the bottom of the frame, but Campbellsville was able to rattle off three consecutive outs to keep her frozen.
 
The third offensive inning was over quick for the Lady Tigers. A Williams strike out kicked things off, but the next batter put one over the fence for the first run of the game. Buoyed by a double, three errors kept the Central Methodist bats going and two more runs were scored for a 3-0 Eagles lead. The Eagles then held Campbellsville three up, three down. It was two back-to-back outs to begin Central Methodist’s time at the plate in the fourth, but three straight singles brought a runner home extending the lead to 4-0.
 
In the fifth frame, the Lady Tigers got a base hit in response but that was all they could collect. As they took the field, Chadwell entered in relief for Williams. An error put an Eagle on first, but a line drive to Chadwell meant a double play and the end of the inning. However, in the top of the sixth, all three Lady Tiger batters had their hits caught. With their chance to bat, Central Methodist garnered a hit and reached base via fielder’s choice but Campbellsville kept their defense stout to prevent the lead from growing.
 
The Lady Tigers needed clutch play to storm back in the seventh, and that’s exactly what happened. A Murt walk, a Blades single, and a catcher’s interference putting Bowling on base meant that when Ryleigh Oldham was walked that Campbellsville got their first run of the contest. They didn’t stop there though; Hurst singled bringing the deficit to just two. Then, Whitney made it to first on an error where two more runs came across to tie the game. After out number three, the Eagles rattled off three straight singles and scored to end the game 5-4.
 
Hurst had two hits for the team-high while also leading in batting percentage going 2-3. With runners on Campbellsville was 2-12 (.167) compared to Central Methodist’s 5-17 (.294). Williams and Chadwell combined for a .725 strike percentage besting the Eagles’ .640.