CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky.--Cumberland Baseball brought their bats to the series opener blasting four home runs in a 19-5 win over Campbellsville.
Riley Light had a game to remember going 5-for-6 with a grand slam, three doubles, and drove in six runs.
Cumberland (17-11) bounced back in a big way taking advantage of four Campbellsville errors to tag along with 13 hits, seven extra-base hits.
The game was cruising along through the first three innings as both teams were kept quiet.
In the fourth, Preston Welchel reached on an error to start the inning and Dee Triplett was hit by a pitch. With two runners on, Light roped a double to right-center to plate the first two runs of the game. The Phoenix did not stop there, scoring eight runs in the inning. Alonzo Zuniga reached on an error to score Light. With two runners on, Stoney Smith drew a walk and Ian Krump belted a grand slam to center to bust the inning open. Brandon Boxer followed with a solo shot to center field for a 8-0 lead.
Next inning, Tim Holyk was hit by a pitch and Light hit a single to set up a three-run home run to center to push the lead to 11-0. The Tigers got two runs back in the bottom half on a solo home run and an RBI single. Campbellsville scored one more on a solo homer in the sixth to cut it to 11-3.
The Phoenix scored two more runs in the seventh. The first came across on a sacrifice fly from Zuniga and the second was a bases-loaded hit by pitch to Boxer for a 13-3 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Tigers avoided the run rule with a two run home run to make it 13-5.
Cumberland opened it up with six runs in the ninth. Dee Triplett and Holyk each walked with the bases loaded for two runs and then Light put the icing on the cake with a grand slam to left center for the 19-5 win.
Ethan Torres picked up the win on the mound to move to 4-0 on the season. Torres tossed the first five innings giving up five hits and two runs. He punched out nine batters. Thomas Wilhite threw the final four innings giving up three hits and three runs while striking out six batters.
The Phoenix and Tigers will play games two and three tomorrow at HIG Field to close out the series. First pitch will be at 12:00 p.m. central time.
