BUIES
CREEK,
N.C. – Columbia's six through nine-hole hitters went a
combined 10-16, scoring eleven runs and driving in six, to lead the
Lions (2-5-1) to a 14-4 victory over Campbell (4-14) Monday
afternoon at Taylor Field. Daniel Smith paced the Camel offense,
matching a career high in hits, going 3-4 on the day.
Daniel Bajger (1-1) pitched
seven strong for Columbia, allowing just three earned runs on the
afternoon. Trevor Smith (2-2) went 3.2 innings for Campbell giving
up seven runs, just three of which were earned, and striking out
two.
Smith matched his career high
for hits in a game with three, with Ryan Hamme and Robb Meng both
contributing a 2-4 day to the Camel cause.
Thomas Stevens and Mike
Roberts both hit their first career home run, with Stevens' coming
in the second and Roberts' coming in the fifth. Jason Banos was 3-4
with three runs and Henry Perkins was 2-5 with two runs. Stevens
and Roberts added three and two RBIs respectively to round out the
production from the bottom of the Lion lineup. Clean-up man Andrew
Ward had a good day, going 3-6 with four RBIs.
Soon after Campbell took its
only lead with a three-run third, Columbia used five runs in the
fourth inning to take the lead back for good. With one out, four
straight Lions reached via a single, two walks and a hit batsman to
plate the first Columbia run. After a strikeout, a Ron Williams
groundball was mishandled by Smith at third to score the second run
and extend the inning. Ward made CU pay, as he lined a three-RBI
triple to right center to put the Lions up for good at
7-4.
The inning before, Campbell
took the lead with three runs of its own. Smith started the inning with a bunt
base hit to third and scored on a Carlton Floyd triple. Brandon
Scott then knocked in Floyd with a groundout to second to tie the
game at 2-2. Hamme started the late flurry by walking, and moved to
third on a Meng single. Hamme then scored on a Brandon York
groundout to give the CU its only lead of the afternoon at 3-2.
Campbell would add its only other run in the fifth, as Hamme scored
on a Mike Causey infield single.
Columbia added a single run in the
seventh on a Banos sacrifice fly before putting Campbell away with
four runs in the ninth. Columbia batted around for the second time
in the game, as the Lions used six singles (five consecutively) and
a hit batsman to plate four runs; all after the first two batters
of the inning were retired.
Errors came back to haunt
Campbell again, as the defense committed four errors in allowing
five unearned Columbia runs. It was also the fourth straight game
CU pitching has allowed double-digit hits and the ninth occasion in
last ten outings.
The Camels and Lions return
to action tomorrow at Taylor Field. First pitch is scheduled for
3:00.
