BUIES CREEK, N.C. –
Barton overcame five errors on the evening, as David Bunn played
hero by lining a two-RBI single in the top of the ninth inning to
lead Barton (19-30, 7-13 CVAC) to a 7-5 victory over Campbell
(7-28, 2-10 A-Sun) Tuesday evening at Taylor Field.
Chris Hill (2-4) picked up
the win for the Bulldogs after pitching 1.2 innings of hitless,
scoreless relief. Ryan Hamme (2-1) took the loss, going three
innings allowing five hits and two earned runs while striking out
three on the evening.
Bunn's hit capped off a ninth
inning rally by Barton, who was 1-12 in their last thirteen games
coming into Tuesday's affair. Zach Boyette singled to start and
scampered to third on a Jonathan Nichols double. An intentional
walk to Kevin Brosseau brought Bunn to the plate who stroked a
Hamme fastball for the winning runs. Campbell held the Bulldogs at
bay the rest of the inning, but could not muster any runs in their
half of the ninth.
Hamme jump-started the long
dormant Camel bats in the eighth inning with a single swing of the
bat. With a 3-1 count in his favor, Hamme blasted starter Justin
Bye's final pitch into the pine trees in right to tie the game at
five. Brandon Scott prolonged the rally with a double and moved to
third on a Robb Meng bunt, but the Camels could not grasp the lead,
as Hill got the next two outs for Barton to keep things knotted at
five. Coming into the frame, Bye had thrown five scoreless innings,
allowing just three hits and striking out seven in that
time.
The Camels took advantage of
several Bulldog miscues in the second inning to take a 4-1 lead.
Scott singled and Robb Meng reached on an error to start the
inning. After a sac bunt, RBI singles by Jacob Allen and Rob Lyerly
coupled with another Barton error, a balk and a run-scoring Carlton
Floyd double plated the four CU runs, giving them a three-run
cushion.
The Bulldogs played small
ball to plate four runs of their own in the top of the fifth to
take back the lead. Three straight bunt singles, with a CU throwing
error on the third, plated the first two Bulldog runs. An RBI
double by Jonathan Nichols and an RBI groundout by Brosseau put
Barton ahead 5-4.
Every Bulldog in the starting
lineup had at least one hit in the 15-hit Barton attack. Boyette
led the way with three hits and three runs while Brosseau added two
RBIs. Along with Hamme's home run, Scott went 3-4, making him 7-8
in his last two games. Lyerly also added two hits to the Camel
effort.
The Camels are now 2-2 in
their last four games against division II opponents. The Camels
defeated UNC Pembroke 9-8 and Barton 10-2 before losing to North
Florida 12-8 in their last season classified as division II in
2005.
Next up for Barton is a home
match-up with Francis Marion tomorrow at 6:00. Campbell will play
host to the 19th ranked Stetson Hatters Friday and
Saturday. First pitch for Friday's doubleheader will be at
4:00.
