BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Columbia (3-5-1) used an eight-run sixth inning as the Lions swept the Camels (4-15) with an 11-9 victory Tuesday afternoon at Taylor Field. Andrew Ward's two-out, three-run home run in the inning proved to be the deciding blow in the game, as Ward capped off a 4-5, three-RBI, three-double day.

Freshman Clay Bartlett (1-0) hurled 4.2 innings of one-run, six-hit baseball to record his first career victory. Matt Martinez (0-1) took the loss for Campbell, pitching just two-thirds of an inning and giving up five earned runs.

Henry Perkins went 3-5 with two runs, and Ron Williams and Spencer Silverstein both added two RBI to complement Ward's big day. Brandon York and Rob Lyerly both had three hits, season and career highs for both, while Carlton Floyd extended his hit streak to nine games with a 2-4 day.

The huge Columbia half of the sixth proved to be the turning point in the game. Campbell expanded its lead to 8-2 in the previous inning, but the first three Lions reached base in the inning, plating a run and causing a call to the bullpen for Martinez. He allowed a Jake Summerhays single to the load the bases before retiring Silverstein on an infield fly, and getting pinch-hitter Thomas Stevens to ground into a run-scoring fielder's choice, making it 8-4 Camels with two on and two outs in the frame.

The floodgates for Columbia opened with two outs. Henry Perkins scored on a passed ball, and Jason Banos and Craig Rodwogin walked to load the bases for Williams. Williams plated two runs with a single up the middle to cut the Camel lead to 8-7. Ward came to the plate next, delivering the deciding three-run home run to put the Lions up for good at 10-8.

Campbell jumped out to an early lead with two runs in the first. York and Mike Causey both plated runs with two-out singles to stake the Camels to two-run lead. Columbia tied the game in the fourth as Summerhays knocked in a run with a groundout, and Silverstein the other with a two-out single to tie the game at two.

Campbell took the lead in the fifth with three runs, as Ryan Hamme started the inning with a triple and scored on a wild pitch. Later on in the stanza, Lyerly and Jacob Allen would knock in runs with singles to give the Camels a 5-2 lead, before the Camels would make it 8-2 the next inning. Both teams would add a single run in the seventh, Columbia's on a Silverstein sac fly and Campbell's on a Floyd groundout, to round out the scoring.

Ward capped off an excellent two days for the Lions as the senior went 7-11 (.636) with a home run, seven RBIs, three doubles and a triple. Perkins proved to be a tough out as well going 5-10 (.500) with four runs scored in the two games. York and Daniel Smith both added four hits on the series to lead the Camels.

The Camels equaled the number of Lions hits on the day with 14, but the Campbell left nine men on base, seven in scoring position. The two-game set saw the orange and black leave 17 men on base, 12 of those in scoring position.

Columbia travels to Boiling Springs, N.C. to face Gardner-Webb tomorrow and Thursday, while Campbell opens up Atlantic Sun play by traveling to Macon, Ga. for a three-game series with Mercer. First pitch for Camel/Bear baseball on Friday is at 7:00.