KANNAPOLIS, N.C.
- Adam Mills silenced the Camel bats for the second time this
season, as the senior struck out 13 in out-dueling Quinn LeSage for
a 1-0 Charlotte (6-2) victory over Campbell (1-6) at
Fieldcrest-Cannon Stadium Friday afternoon.
Mills (3-0) pitched his
fourth complete game of the year, allowing just three Camel hits
and walking three. LeSage (0-3) battled out of a couple of big
jams, but was still tagged with the loss. He went 6.1 innings,
striking out five and walking three.
Mills walked as many batters
in the first five innings (3) then he had in all his previous
outings combined. However, he was nearly un-hittable from the third
inning on as he faced just three batters over the minimum from that
point on. Charlotte had its share of opportunities to expand its
lead, as they stranded 13 runners on base, including leaving the
bases loaded three times, with the first coming in the second
inning
The 49ers scored the only run
they would need in the sixth inning. Aaron Bray tripled with one
out down the right field line, pulling the Campbell field in
half-way. Alex Burt then blooped a fly ball into shallow left field
just out of the reach of shortstop Rob Lyerly and left fielder
Brandon Scott to give Charlotte the only run they would
need.
Charlotte threatened to open the
scoring in the second inning. Brad McElroy led off with a walk, but
LeSage answered by striking out Chris Taylor. LeSage then had
McElroy picked off, but the Camels could not convert the out on the
ensuing rundown. On the next pitch, Aaron Bray then hit what looked
to be an inning ending double play, but second baseman Zach
Johnson's throw was wide of the second base, putting runners on
first and third. LeSage then hit Burt to load the bases with one
out, but LeSage ended the threat by striking out Kris Rochelle and
inducing a Shayne Moody groundout to keep the score at
0-0.
The Camels squeaked its way
out of the second bases loaded jam in the fifth. After LeSage
retired the lead-off batter, Moody singled and Cory Lane doubled
down the right field line, putting runners at 2nd and
3rd for Charlotte's leading hitter Chris Lane. LeSage
again bore down, striking out Lane for the second out. With a base
open LeSage pitched around Spencer Steedley, walking him to get to
Charlotte's clean-up man Brad McElroy. LeSage coaxed a lazy fly
ball to center to end Charlotte's second bases loaded
threat.
For the third time in the
game, and the fifth time in a row in two games, Campbell pitchers
left the bases loaded without allowing a run. Chris Lane led off
the seventh inning with a single and advanced to second on a wild
pitch. After a Steedley foul out, McElroy walked and Taylor singled
sharply up the middle to load the bases and chasing LeSage from the
game. Matt Martinez was brought in and got Bray to pop out to the
mound on a squeeze attempt and induced a Burt fly out to shallow
right field, leaving three more men stranded for the
Niners.
CU's best opportunity came in
the second inning. Campbell mounted a two-out rally, as Mike Causey
walked and Rob Lyerly was hit by a pitch to put runners on first
and second for Bryan Braswell. Mills got out of the jam by striking
out Braswell on a 2-2 slider in the dirt, keeping the game
scoreless.
The Camels mounted one last
rally in the ninth. After a Johnson strike out, Brandon Scott
singled down the right field line and stole second. However the
Camels could not capitalize as Mills struck out Robb Meng and a
Daniel Smith to groundout to end the game.
The win was Charlotte's tenth
straight over the Camels, and the fifth shutout in the last nine
meetings.
Meng saw his first action of
the season, recording his first hit as a Camel in his first at-bat.
Scott picked up the other two hits for the Camels, going 2-4 on the
day.
CU and Charlotte will square
off for the fourth and final time this season tomorrow. First pitch
is scheduled for 12:00.