PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (Baseball) – The Shawnee State baseball team scored three runs in the first three innings, keeping the contest within two runs through six innings, but a three-run seventh frame lifted No. 16 Campbellsville University to a 10-4 victory over the Bears, despite an 11-hit performance by the home squad on Saturday afternoon at Branch Rickey Park.
Connor Wilson went 2-for-4 with an RBI, Mason Wisner (SR/Bay Village, Ohio) went 3-for-4 with a run scored and Dalton Tinsley (SR/Kokomo, Ind.) added a 2-for-4 performance for the Bears, but 15 hits from the Tigers led to 10 runs, including nine off SSU starter Derek Moore (SO/Wheelersburg, Ohio).
Moore went seven frames in the contest, surrendering 13 hits and nine runs – though just six earned – while striking out and walking a pair. His counterpart, Mario Morales went just three innings for the Tigers, allowing eight hits and three runs (two earned). Indalecio Romo earned the victory in 2.1 innings of relief, allowing retiring all seven batters he faced.
Campbellsville jumped out early in the contest with three runs in the top of the second on five hits, including three to load the bases with no outs. Alex Scanlan's sac fly plated the first run and a fielder's choice from Richard Ramirez scored the next. With two away, Jamie Valle and Chris Allen notched back-to-back knocks to bring home the final run of the frame.
The Bears jumped right back into the game in the bottom of the second with a pair of runs. Wisner, Tinsley and Adam Turner (FR/Lansing, Mich.) each collected one-out singles to load the bases, and an RBI groundout from Mike Watson (FR/Niles, Ohio) brought Wisner home. On the play, a wild throw sent Tinsley home as well, making it 3-2 after two.
In the third, Campbellsville plated two more runs, the first on an RBI double from Garrett Everhart. An Alex Kline single followed and Everhart scampered home.
Again, SSU responded. The Bears scored a run in the bottom of the frame to cut into the deficit, as Wilson singled to left field to bring Jacob Waters (JR/DeWitt, Mich.) – who led off the inning with a single – on to score.
Both squads went scoreless in the fourth and fifth frames, before trading runs in the sixth inning, leaving the score at 6-4 two-thirds of the way through the contest.
An unlucky turn of events in the seventh would become the undoing of the Bears in the opening game of the Mid-South Conference three-game set.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the frame, Allen sent a sharp grounder between third and short. Matt Dvorscak (FR/Whiting, Ind.) attempted to make the force play at second, but sent an errant throw toward the bag. The ball rolled all the way to the right field fence, clearing the bases and effectively putting the game away.
CU added another run in the eighth on an RBI double from Ricky McColloch to bring the game to its 10-4 final.
The Bears and Tigers are back in action Sunday afternoon for a doubleheader to conclude the series. Game one is slated to begin at noon.
