BUIES CREEK, N.C.- Dan Gardo didn't allow an earned run over eight
innings, elevating Campbell to a 11-1 victory over ETSU and its
first A-Sun series sweep in five years, Monday afternoon at Taylor
Field. The last time
Campbell (6-5, 4-2 A-Sun) swept a three game series against an
A-Sun opponent was in 2003 when the Camels dropped Stetson at
Taylor Field by scores of 3-2, 3-0 and 5-1.
Gardo (2-1), a native of West Chester, Pa., was touched for just
one unearned run which was scored in the top of the second inning
due to a passed ball. The
6-foot-3 left-hander struck out five batters and scattered seven
hits en route to his second victory of the season.
Campbell hitters struggled in the early innings with ETSU starter
Josh Means, who sat down the first nine batters he faced. The freshman from Kennesaw, Ga.,
allowed four runs, only two of which were earned, largely in part
to an error by the Buccaneers shortstop Nick Belcher in the fourth
inning. Means (0-3)
suffered his third loss of the season striking out one over 4.1
innings pitched.
In
a game that featured no extra-base hits, Campbell saw three
different players have multi-hit games headed by Brandon Scott and
Ryan Hamme. Scott went
2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored, while Hamme collected two
hits, an RBI with a run as well. Scott, who swiped two bases in the
game, is just one shy of becoming third in Campbell's all-time
stolen base records.
After ETSU's Derek Trent walked and advanced to second on a wild
pitch, a ground ball to the third baseman left Trent standing on
third. ETSU would score its
only run of the game and gain its only lead of the three game
series on a passed ball by Campbell catcher Stephen Parsons.
Campbell countered in the fourth and didn't look back after an
error by the Buccaneers' shortstop opened the Camels' scoring. Two runs in the fourth, which
gave Campbell a 2-1 lead, was the first of five consecutive innings
that the Camels would plate runners.
Campbell scored five runs in the sixth inning which was the Camels'
most significant single inning scoring output of the game. Parsons led the inning off with
a single to left-field and John Watlington's sacrifice bunt attempt
was thrown into center field which set the stage for the
Camels. After Graham Fronk
singled and Johnson was hit by a pitch that scored Parsons from
third, Ellis Lowe lifted a sacrifice fly to center field plating
Watlington. A two RBI
single through the left side by Scott and another RBI single by
Carlton Floyd capped the Camels sixth inning off leaving them with
a 9-1 advantage.
A
Hamme RBI single in the seventh and a Lowe RBI hit-by-pitch in the
eighth sealed Campbell's 11-1 game three victory.
Sophomore Brian Braswell saw his first career action on the mound
for the Camels striking out two in an inning of work. Fronk, a freshman from Charlotte,
N.C., collected two hits and stole a season high three bases.
ETSU dropped its fifth straight game and moves to 1-11 overall and
1-5 in the A-Sun, while Campbell improves its mark to 6-5 and 4-2
in the A-Sun.
Campbell continues its homestand when it hosts in state rival UNC
Wilmington tomorrow (Mar. 11) at Taylor Field. The first pitch is scheduled for 7
p.m.
