HUNTINGTON, W.V. – Nick
Damas went 3-4 with three RBI and Brian Chrisman threw eight
innings, striking out seven, as Marshall (9-3) used eight
unanswered runs in the middle innings to drop Campbell (4-13) 8-4
Saturday afternoon. It was the second three-game set the Camels
have been swept in this season.
Chrisman (2-0) notched the
victory for The Herd, retiring 13 Camels in a row at one point, in
making the longest outing of his career. Chris England (1-4) took
the loss for CU, working an inning-plus in relief, surrendering two
earned runs.
Carlton Floyd capped off a
stellar week for the Camels, as the sophomore went 2-4 with a run
scored. In five games this week Floyd went 12-22 (.545) with six
runs, seven RBI, three doubles, a triple and a home run.
Brandon Casamassima went 2-4
with two runs and Matt Helm went 2-3 setting new career highs in
runs (3) and RBI (3) for
Marshall. Casamassima's series performance was also noteworthy, as
he went 7-10 with five runs, three RBI and two home runs in the
three-game set.
The Camels struck first in the
top of the third inning. With one out Daniel Smith dragged a
bunt-base hit up the first base line to start. Floyd followed with
a single and Brandon Scott ripped a double down the left field
line, bringing in both runners and giving CU the 2-0 lead. Ryan
Hamme rounded out the inning with a sac fly to right to put
Campbell up 3-0.
The Herd responded with a
three-spot in the fourth. Camel starter Matt Martinez walked
Brendan Murphy to start the inning and Casamassima continued his
solid weekend with a single. Martinez then balked the runners to
second and third and Jeff Rowley drove Murphy in with a sac fly to
left. Helm came up next and drilled a single to left-center for the
second Marshall run. Helm moved to second on a groundout and
rambled home on a Thad Ledford single to make it a 3-3
ballgame.
Marshall took the lead for good in
their half of the sixth off England. Helm started the inning with a
single and pinch-hitter Josh Valle followed suit with a second
single, sending Helm to third. Campbell brought Scott from left to
the mound, and Ledford greeted him with a run-scoring squeeze on
Scott's first pitch to give MU the 4-3 lead. Damas came up next and
drove in Valle with a single for a 5-3 Herd lead.
Marshall added insurance in the
seventh, as Casamassima and Rowley singled with one out to put
runners on the corners. The Herd went back to the squeeze with Helm
at the plate, as the throw from Scott was mishandled by Zach
Johnson at first, as the Herd took a 6-3 lead. After a walk to load
the bases and a foul-out, Damas lined a single up the middle,
plating the last two Herd runs and making the score 8-3. Campbell
would plate its final run in the eighth on a Scott sac fly for the
final 8-4 margin. The RBI was Scott's third on the day and gave him
the team lead with 15.
Marshall hosts Youngstown State in its
next game on Tuesday. Campbell returns to Taylor Field for a
two-game set with Ivy League opponent Columbia on Monday. First
pitch is scheduled for 3:00
