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Campbell University

Baseball

Campbell Splits Twinbill with Belmont: Takes Nightcap 5-4 in Ten Innings

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell (5-20, 1-4 A-Sun) snapped its 10-game losing streak with a dramatic, 10-inning 5-4 victory in game two after dropping a 7-2 decision in the first game to Belmont (13-9, 3-2 A-Sun) Friday at Taylor Field.

Justin Lilly (0-2) took the loss in game one, as he lasted five innings giving up one earned run while striking out five. Lee (2-1) threw a complete game for the Bruins, allowing just one hit past the first inning, giving up two earned runs. Ryan Hamme (1-0) nailed down his first victory in game two with two innings of scoreless relief, while Ben Meador (3-3) suffered the loss, tossing the last 1.1 innings for Belmont.

Game two provided plenty of drama at Taylor Field as Belmont came from two runs down in the ninth to force extra innings. Back-to-back doubles by Derek Wiley and Kane Simmons cut the Camel lead to one at 4-3, as starter Brandon Scott was lifted in favor of Hamme. A Packy Elkins pop up to shallow left fell between Scott and Zach Johnson, putting the go-ahead run on first for Belmont. Manifold tried to bunt the runners over to second and third, but Hamme pounced off the mound to catch the lead runner at third for the first out.

The inning climaxed with the next two hitters, as Testa hit a hard ground ball that Daniel Smith stabbed with a diving stop. Smith fired to second to try and turn the game-ending double play as Johnson hurried the throw wide of first, bringing in the tying run. Hamme ended the inning by striking out Matt Reynolds to keep the game tied at four.

Belmont came close to taking the lead in the top half of the tenth. Wilson Tucker sent a one-out double down the left field line to put the go-ahead run at second. Wiley then lined a two-out single to left, as Tucker was sent chugging towards home. Scott came up throwing, making a perfect toss to catcher Bryan Braswell to nail Tucker at the plate and keep the game knotted at four.

Campbell capitalized on the momentum, as Carlton Floyd walked to start the Campbell 10th. Floyd was then thrown out on a Jacob Allen bunt, but the throw from Wagner on the double play attempt sailed into the Belmont dugout, putting Allen on second. Hamme ended the game in the next at-bat as the sophomore lined his only hit of the night to left, scoring Allen and giving the Camels a 5-4 win, their first in 10 games.

The Bruins scored a single run back in the eighth, but a baserunning miscue may have prevented more Belmont runs. With the bases loaded and one out, Ben Petsch lofted a sacrifice fly to centerfield, scoring Matt Reynolds from third. Daniel Wagner, however, was caught too far off second base, as Floyd's throw from centerfield was cutoff by Zach Johnson, who threw to second baseman Rob Lyerly to nab Wagner for the third out.

Scott pitched brilliantly through eight-plus innings for CU, retiring 14 Bruin batters in a row at one point. It was the longest outing of the junior's career, and it helped give Campbell its first Atlantic Sun victory of the season.

In game two, Campbell committed four errors, leading to five unearned runs for Belmont, with Belmont's big inning coming off three unearned runs in the fifth. A one-out single and double gave the Bruins runners on second and third, but Lilly struck out Reynolds for the second out of the inning. However, the Camel defense let Lilly down, as an Allen error allowed the first Bruin run of the inning. Lilly's third wild pitch of the game and a Ben Petsch single accounted for the other two runs, as the Bruins broke a 2-2 tie and went ahead for good.

Campbell's only offense came in the bottom of the first with a pair of two-out runs. With Allen on second, Scott stung a base hit up the middle to score Allen to knot the game at one. Mike Causey then drove in Scott all the way from first on a double down the left field line to give CU the 2-1 lead at that point in time.

Lee held the Camels the rest of the way as only one CU batter got past third base the rest of the way. He finished with five strikeouts, walking just one for the Bruins.

The defense was nothing to write home about as the two teams committed a combined 10 errors on the day. Of the 18 runs scored in the doubleheader, only 10 of them were earned.

Scott also led the way at the plate for Campbell, as he was 3-7 with two runs and two RBIs on the day. Causey also added two RBIs on the day and Floyd chipped in two hits to the Camel effort. Tucker paced the Belmont attack, going 4-7 in the two games. Six different Bruins contributed at least one RBI, with Petsch being the only one to record multiple RBIs.

Game three of the three-game set between Belmont and Campbell will take place tomorrow afternoon at Taylor Field. First pitch will be at 1:00.

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Players Mentioned

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

Players Mentioned

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