BUIES CREEK, N.C.- Jeff Hoffman threw 5 2/3 innings of scoreless
baseball to lift Campbell to a 5-2 victory over Brown and its third
non-conference win of the year, Monday evening at Taylor
Field.
Campbell (8-13, 5-7 A-Sun) took its fourth contest in history from
Brown (5-6, 0-0 Ivy) and remains unbeaten in the all-time series
(4-0).
Hoffman (1-0), a native of Ramsey, N.J., made the difference in
relief of Campbell starter Colin Parker as he picked up his first
collegiate win. The
freshman right-hander scattered two hits and struck out three and
was extremely efficient using just 68 pitches.
Josh Feit (0-1) suffered the loss for Brown after allowing five
runs on seven hits, over 5 1/3 innings of work. Feit also struck
out five batters.
A
pair of freshman Ellis Lowe and Graham Fronk paced
the Camels offense going a combined 3-for-5. Lowe picked up his team-leading ninth
multi-hit game of the season, while Fronk knocked in a run and
scored two more. Fronk also
swiped his fifth stolen base of the year.
Conor Reardon and Nick Punal led Brown's offense as each picked up
multiple hits in the game.
Reardon went 2-for-4, while Punal batted 3-for-4 with and RBI and a
double. Leadoff hitter
Steve Daniels stroked Brown's second triple of the season in the
first inning.
After Campbell used a Ryan Hamme sacrifice fly in the third inning
to take an early 1-0 lead, Brown answered with two runs in the
fourth. Hits by Matt Nuzzo
and Reardon set the stage for an RBI single off the bat of
Punal. Robert Papenhause
would later score after a throw from Campbell catcher Bryan
Braswell skimmed off the back of Ryan Zrenda, who was heading for
first, giving Brown a 2-1 lead.
Campbell tacked on one run in the fifth and administered its final
blow in the sixth scoring three runs in the inning. After Fronk singled and scored on a
fielder's choice in the fifth, four consecutive singles by Zach
Johnson, Mike Causey, John Watlington and Braswell followed. Braswell's bases loaded RBI
single, which scored Johnson, was the kick-start to what turned out
to be a hectic play. An
overthrown ball by Brown's left fielder Ryan Murphy allowed Causey
to score, and a sac fly of Fronk's bat finalized the score in favor
of Campbell 5-2.
Campbell improves its impressive record at Taylor Field to 7-4,
with its last home victory coming against ETSU on Mar. 10. All of Brown's first 11 games
have been played away from its home field Murray Stadium.
Campbell continues non-conference action against North Carolina
Central tomorrow (Mar. 25) at the Durham Bull's Athletic Park. The first pitch is slated for 7
p.m.