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Hamme's Late Game Efforts Give Campbell First Win of Year, 2-0 at East Carolina

GREENVILLE, N.C. - Ryan Hamme recorded his first home run and save of the season as Campbell (1-5) used six pitchers to twirl a 2-0 shutout over East Carolina (2-5) Wednesday afternoon at ECU's Clark-LeClair Stadium. The win was also the first in Chris Wiley's tenure as head coach of the Camels.

Trevor Smith (1-0) picked up his first win as a Camel, going two innings, giving up one hit and striking out two. Josh Dowdy (0-1) was solid in his second career start, but was tagged with the loss for ECU. Dowdy went a career-high 6.2 innings, allowing just three hits, one earned run and striking out two. Hamme's save was the sixth of his career, moving him into a tie for eighth on the Campbell career saves list.

The Camels broke through for the only run they would need in the third. Rob Lyerly singled to start the inning and was bunted over by Bryan Braswell. After a walk to Jacob Allen, a Carlton Floyd groundout advanced Camel runners to second and third with two outs for Zach Johnson. Johnson rolled a 2-1 offering from Dowdy in the shortstop-third base hole, where third baseman Corey Kemp made a diving stab to save a run. However, Johnson beat Kemp's throw, allowing Lyerly to score from third to give CU a 1-0 lead.

Campbell received some breathing room, courtesy of Hamme, in the ninth. The sophomore from Wilmington blasted a 2-0 Jason Neitz offering over the right field wall to put the Camels up 2-0. It was Hamme's first on the year and extended his early-season hit streak to six games.

Smith's first victory did not come without a scare as he started by retiring the Pirates 1-2-3 in the fourth. Smith ran into the first ECU threat of the day in the fifth, when a Ryan Tousley single and two-out walks to the eight and nine-hole hitters loaded the bases for ECU's leading hitter Harrison Eldridge. Smith rose to the occasion, striking out Eldridge and thwarting the ECU threat.

ECU once again loaded the bases in the sixth off Floyd, but came up empty. Dale Mollenhauer led off the inning with a single then stole second with one out. A walk, a single and a fielder's choice putout at home brought Jamie Ray to the plate with a chance to put the Pirates ahead. Ray hit a slow roller to short, where Rob Lyerly gobbled it up on the run and nipped a hustling Ray at first to end the threat.
East Carolina's downfall was its inability to plate base runners. The Pirates left nine men on-base, five of which were in scoring position.
 Justin Lilly started on the hill for Campbell, who had pre-determined they would use multiple pitchers in the game. Lilly's two innings were effective, as he threw just 20 pitches in facing the minimum six batters. Matt Martinez added a scoreless inning of work, and Brandon Scott struck out two in the seventh and eighth innings.

Dowdy matched the Camel pitchers after giving up his only run in the fourth. The sophomore answered by retiring the next 12 Camel batters in a row, facing just three over the minimum. Dowdy set his longest career outing by going 6.2 innings striking out and walking two.

Tousley and Lyerly were the only players on their respective teams with multiple hits, as they both went 2-4 on the afternoon.
The victory snapped an eight-game Campbell losing streak dating back to last season. It was also the first Camel victory over ECU since 2003 and second in last four trips to Greenville.

The game was the first of twenty-one straight home games for East Carolina, who host St. Johns in the first round of the ECU Invitational Friday. The Camels head to Charlotte for its third and fourth games with the 49ers this season. Game times for CU are at 2:00 and 12:00.
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Players Mentioned

Jacob Allen

#8 Jacob Allen

INF
6' 1"
Sophomore
Bryan Braswell

#28 Bryan Braswell

C
6' 1"
Freshman
Carlton Floyd

#24 Carlton Floyd

OF/LHP
5' 11"
Sophomore
Ryan Hamme

#14 Ryan Hamme

1B/RHP
6' 3"
Sophomore
Zach Johnson

#4 Zach Johnson

2B
6' 1"
Freshman
Rob Lyerly

#5 Rob Lyerly

SS
6' 1"
Freshman
Trevor Smith

#30 Trevor Smith

RHP
6' 1"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Jacob Allen

#8 Jacob Allen

6' 1"
Sophomore
INF
Bryan Braswell

#28 Bryan Braswell

6' 1"
Freshman
C
Carlton Floyd

#24 Carlton Floyd

5' 11"
Sophomore
OF/LHP
Ryan Hamme

#14 Ryan Hamme

6' 3"
Sophomore
1B/RHP
Zach Johnson

#4 Zach Johnson

6' 1"
Freshman
2B
Rob Lyerly

#5 Rob Lyerly

6' 1"
Freshman
SS
Trevor Smith

#30 Trevor Smith

6' 1"
Sophomore
RHP