BUIES CREEK, N.C.You couldn't dream it up any better. The
Campbell softball team swept Atlantic Sun rival North Florida in
dramatic fashion Thursday night at the Eakes Athletic Complex with
a walk-off single in game one and a walk-off home run in the
nightcap.
Jessica Huffman delivered the game-winning hit in the opener
breaking a scoreless tie giving the Camels (27-21, 9-3 A-Sun) the
1-0 victory and Holly Harris hit a no-doubter down the right-field
line in game two sealing a 3-2 win for Campbell.
The Ospreys fall to 23-22 overall and 6-6 in the Atlantic
Sun.
The two-headed monster in the circle for the Camels of Lauren
Caviness and Kelly Weaver didn't allow an earned run in either
game, allowed just a combined seven hits and struck out eight North
Florida batters.
Campbell has now won five-straight ballgames for the first time
this season and has the third most conference victories in school
history with still eight league games remaining.
The Camels had just two hits heading into the seventh inning of
the opening game before piecing together the two most important
ones of the game. In fact, Campbell's first two hits of the game
didn't come until the sixth inning.
Stephenie Pappas got things started by singling up the middle
and moved over to third on a sacrifice by Corri Long setting up the
game-winning hit by Huffman.
The second game played eerily similar to the opening contest.
The Camels jumped out on top 2-0, before the Ospreys rallied in the
next inning to tie the game. Neither team scored again until the
bottom of the seventh.
With two outs and extra innings looming in the distance, Harris
took the first pitch she saw from Katie Brosky and blasted it down
the line in right for her team-leading ninth home run of the
season. The homer puts her tied for second all-time in Campbell
history with 20 in her career.
Karlie Love drove home the Camels first run of the game
reaching on an error in the third. Krysten Vlacancich put Campbell
up 2-0 later in the third with a sacrifice fly scoring Harris from
third.
The Ospreys runs came in the top of the fourth scoring on a
throwing error by the Camels and an RBI single by Lauren
Pulling.
Weaver continued her outstanding season improving to 13-6
overall in the circle and 5-1 in A-Sun games. She has now allowed
just eight earned runs in 45 innings of work (1.24 ERA) against
conference competition. She struck out four batters and scattered
four hits.
Brosky (8-7) took the loss allowing three runs, two earned, on
four Campbell hits and struck out two.
Caviness improved to 14-12 on the season with her fifth
complete-game shutout of the season in the opener. She struck out
four batters and allowed just three hits and two walks. The
sophomore southpaw is 4-2 in A-Sun starts and has allowed just four
earned runs in 41 innings of work (0.68 ERA) in conference
matchups.
Tori Ahern (7-9) had a no-hitter going through five innings,
but suffered the loss for North Florida in game one allowing the
single run on four hits; she had six strikeouts.
The Camels continue their four-game homestand on Saturday
afternoon against the Jacksonville Dolphins (21-27, 5-5). First
pitch on Senior Day is set for 4:00 pm at the Eakes Athletic
Complex.