Baseball season ends with tough loss to Campbellsville

GEORGETOWN, Ky. — The Campbellsville Tigers held off three late rallies from the Pikeville College Bears to advance in the Mid-South Conference tournament with a 6-5 win Saturday afternoon.

Pikeville’s season came to an end at 10-39-1, having opened the tournament with a win over Cumberlands, the league’s top seed.

After Campbellsville posted single runs in the first and fourth, the Bears rallied to tie the game.

Senior John Williamson led off the bottom of the fourth with a double to left and with two outs scored on a single to left by sophomore Rob Stacy. Stacy moved into scoring position when junior Ryan Chapman singled they moved up on a wild pitch.

Senior Brice Fields laced a single to center to score Stacy. Chapman attempted to give the Bears the lead but was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

The tie was short-lived, however, as the Tigers responded with three in the fifth to regain control. Chris Curley reached on a fielder’s choice and scored when Temple McDonald singled. A single by Logan Smith moved McDonald to third with Smith taking second on the play. A walk to Brandon Hunter loaded the bases and, one out later, McDonald scored when Jason Beale walked.

A single to left by Matt LePage scored Smith, making the score 5-2.

Each team scored once in the seventh, with the Tigers scoring on a sacrifice fly and the Bears missing a golden opportunity to get back in the game.

The Bears loaded the bases with one out when Chapman was hit by a pitch, Fields singled and pinch-hitter Chris Rakes walked. Chapman scored when Obed Quiles hit a sacrifice fly, but a ground out finished the inning with two left on.

After dodging a bullet in the top of the eighth, the Bears pulled back within one and had the tying run 90 feet away when the inning ended. Williamson and Adams led off with singles to either gap to put runners at first and third. Both scored when Matt Fleenor laced a double into the gap in left-center.

Fleenor moved to third when Stacy grounded out, but from there the rally died. Fields walked to put the potential go-ahead run on base, but a strikeout on either side of him ended the inning with the Tigers clinging to a 6-5 lead heading to the ninth.

After the Tigers left two men on, the Bears came to the plate with the top of the lineup. However, a strikeout and fly out brought senior John Williamson to the plate, and when he popped up into foul ground on a first-pitch check swing, the game and season ended for the Bears.

Williamson led the Bears with three hits, including a double and two runs scored. Brice Fields had two singles and walked twice to reach base in all four at-bats. Matt Fleenor doubled to drive in two while Josh Adams, Rob Stacy and Ryan Chapman all had singles.

Junior Pete Kefalos took the loss for Pikeville, going 4 2/3 innings, allowing eight hits and five earned runs while striking out two and walking two. Ben Wigger, Jeff Grieme and A.J. Elliott followed him to the mound.

Senior Chris LeMay got the win in relief, throwing three innings and allowing three earned runs and four hits. He came in relief of starter Morgan Carlile, who went the first four. Jeffrey Duda pitched the last two innings, striking out three without allowing a hit, entering the eighth with no outs and the tying run at second to earn the save.