BUIES CREEK, N.C.- After a brief pause in action over the Easter
weekend, Campbell looks to earn its third non-conference win and
seventh victory at Taylor Field when it hosts the Brown Bears on
Monday at 3 p.m. Live audio
and statistics will be available via Campbell's official athletic
website www.GoCamels.com.
Campbell (7-13, 5-7 A-Sun) owns a 6-4 record at home and looks to
continue its success after playing its last seven games on the
road. After riding the arm
of Justin Lilly and earning a decisive 9-3 victory in the first
game against Stetson, the Camels dropped a 9-1 decision and were
outlasted 6-5 in an 11 inning marathon in the series deciding game
three.
Sophomore Hunter Ford has given Campbell quality production out of
the bullpen as he currently holds a team-leading 2.39 ERA over 26
1/3 innings pitched. The
left-hander from Wilmington, N.C. ranks fifth in the A-Sun in
earned runs allowed (7) and seventh in ERA. Ford has also collected Campbell's
only save of the season.
The Camels have proven to be tough outs as they currently own the
least amount of strikeouts in the league (112). Campbell has also been hit by more
pitches in the A-Sun than any other team (36), lead by Ryan Hamme
and Brian Gana who have each collected six. In-state rival Gardner-Webb ranks
second in the league with 32.
Brandon Scott is continually climbing Campbell's all-time stolen
bases ranks as he currently stands fifth. Scott has swiped seven bases this
season and is just four short of catching Randy Hood and Jeff Blick
for third. Nic Carter owns
the record and stole 72 bases in his three year career at
Campbell.
Brown (4-4, 0-0 Ivy League), a team that has only played eight game
so far this season, is coming off its most successful season in the
school's history taking its first-ever Ivy League
Championship. Brown led the
Ivy League in team hitting (.318) and was second in pitching (5.04
ERA) en route to a 27-21 overall record and 14-6 league record in
2007.
Much of the Bears championship squad returns, including 2007 First
Team All-Ivy performers Ryan Murphy and Matt Nuzzo. Murphy (Mantoloking, N.J.) hit .410
last season, which led the Bears and ranked 16th
nationally, while Nuzzo owns a .325 career batting average. Through eight games Murphy has
scored a team leading ten runs and is batting .278.
The Bears currently boast two players – Conor Reardon and Matt
Colantonio – who are batting .400 or better. Reardon and Colantonio are tied for
second in RBI (8) behind Nick Punal who has driven in 11. Reardon currently leads the team
in batting average (.440).
Monday's meeting will be Campbell and Brown's fourth meeting in
history. The last time the
two teams squared off was in 2003. The Camels, who carry a 3-0 all-time
record against Brown, needed ten innings to drop the Bears 7-6 in
their last contest.
After Monday's contest Campbell will travel to Durham, N.C. on
Tuesday to take on North Carolina Central in a non-conference game
set for 7 p.m.
