BUIES CREEK, N.C. –
Campbell (10-43, 4-20 A-Sun) could not climb out of an early 6-0
hole as UNC Wilmington (26-25, 15-11 CAA) won their seventh
straight game by defeating Campbell 10-5 in the last home game of
the '07 season Tuesday.
The Camels out-hit the
Seahawks 14-11, but three outs on the base paths, and eight men
left on base killed multiple Camel rallies. The normally
control-conscious
Campbell pitching staff hit two batters and walked seven, with four
of those plating runs for Wilmington.
Hunter Ford (0-1) took the
loss in his first career start, lasting a season-high six-plus
innings. Allen Flood (6-2) picked up his third straight victory in
his third straight relief appearance, tossing two and two-thirds
innings of scoreless baseball.
UNCW jumped out early on
Ford, getting out to a 6-0 lead after two. After Ford retired the
first two men in the first, the freshman ran into trouble as he
allowed a single and hit two batters. Daniel Hargrave came up with
two outs and lined a ball that left fielder Ryan Hamme lost in the
sun. It went as a single with two RBI's as all three runners scored
to give the Seahawks a 3-0 lead.
Wilmington extended the lead in
the second with three runs. Jason Appel got the scoring going with
a one-out, two RBI double and Mark Carver followed with an RBI
double of his own with two outs to make it a 6-0 ballgame. Campbell
answered with its first run in the bottom half with a Zach
Johnson infield single to make it 6-1.
Campbell sent eight men to the plate
in the third to cut the Seahawk lead to one. The first three Camels
of the inning reached as Scott and Robb Meng had RBI singles. Mike
Causey then drove in a pair as his double down the left field
line made it a 6-5 ballgame. Campbell would get no closer as
Hargrave responded with an RBI double in the fifth to make it a 7-5
UNCW lead.
Down two, Campbell mounted a
threat in the seventh. Hamme singled to start the inning and Scott
reached on an error by center fielder Grayson Evans. After a Jacob Allen sacrifice bunt
moved the runners, Hamme was thrown out at home trying to score on
a ball that got by catcher Jonathan Batts, and reliever Cody
Dickens got Causey to ground out to
preserve the two-run lead.
After thwarting the Camel
rally, UNCW came right back with three runs in the eighth to give
them a comfortable five-run lead. The first three Seahawks reached
off reliever Chris England, the first of
three CU pitchers in the inning, with Appel driving in the first
run of the inning with a single. Steve Halford followed with
another RBI single and two batters later Batts doubled in the third
UNCW run, making the score 10-5.
The top six in both lineups
were potent, as UNCW went 11-25 with nine RBI's in those spots,
while Campbell was 12-29 with 4 runs knocked in. Appel and Hargrave
both had two hits and three RBI to pace the Seahawks, while Hamme
and Scott both had three hits to lead the Camel offense. Carlton
Floyd also extended his season-long hit streak to 12 games with
a 2-5 night.
Both squads will wrap up
their regular seasons this weekend as UNCW hosts George Mason for
three CAA games, while Campbell will load the bus for a three-game
set at Kennesaw State Thursday and Friday. First pitch Thursday is
slated for 6:00.
