BUIES CREEK, N.C.- Richard Bleier earned his third consecutive
complete game victory in game one and Florida Gulf Coast exploded
for 19 hits in game two as the Eagles handed Campbell 3-2 and 13-3
loses, Friday evening at Taylor Field.
Campbell falls to 9-16 and 5-9 in the A-Sun, while FGCU earned its
20th triumph of the season and extends its league
leading record to 12-2.
Senior right-hander Justin Lilly (2-2) found himself in a pitchers
dual in game one and was brilliant on the mound for the Camels
despite suffering his second loss of the season. The native of Raleigh, N.C. struck out
four batters without issuing a walk in eight strong innings of
work. Lilly scattered eight
hits and allowed just three earned runs.
Bleier (5-0), a 6-foot-3 left-hander, was equally impressive for
FGCU in the first game as he picked up his fifth win of the
season. Campbell plated
just two runners in the game as Bleier grabbed eight strikeouts, in
a 118 pitch complete game.
Pete Woodworth (4-1) followed suit in the second game for the
Eagles earning his fourth win of the season after completing seven
strong innings of six hit baseball. Woodworth gave up three runs, all of
which were earned, and six hits, while fanning four batters.
FGCU chased Campbell starter Dan Gardo (2-3) after four innings in
the second game, as he was charged with the loss after allowing six
runs. The freshman
left-hander struck out four and only walked one in his fifth start
of the season.
Eagle pitchers silenced the bats of Campbell for most of the day as
Ryan Hamme was the only player to pick up a multi-hit performance
in either game. Hamme went
1-for-4 in the first game and was 2-for-4 with an RBI in the second
game. Freshman Colin Parker
collected his first collegiate hit as he smacked a double to
right-center field in game two.
After Lilly held the A-Sun's leading offensive team down in the
first game, FGCU exploded with eight extra base hits in the
second. Heading the attack
was Jason Peacock, who went a combined 6-for-8 with a double,
homerun, and five RBI.
Peacock also scored three runs in the second game.
Complimenting Peacock was leadoff hitter Josh Upchurch and Ozzie
Borrell. Upchurch was
4-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored, while Borrell garnered
three doubles and two RBI all in the second game. Upchurch also had two hits in the
first game.
FGCU gained a quick advantage in game one posting single runs in
both of the first two innings. Peacock plated Upchurch on with an RBI
single in the first and Casey Coleman blasted a solo homer in the
second to put the Eagles on top 2-0 after two innings.
Campbell answered with its largest single inning scoring output of
the day with two runs in the third. RBI singles by freshmen Graham Fronk
and Ellis Lowe plated two runners knotting the score at two
apiece.
FGCU had no answer for the arm of Lilly in the next five innings,
but a single run in the eighth meant the difference in the
game. A double to lead the
inning off by Graig Smith and a capped single by Mikal Alvarez that
flew just out of the reach of a diving Lowe at second base
propelled FGCU to a 3-2 win in game one.
The Eagles pounced all over Campbell with four multiple run innings
in game two, headlined by a four run fifth. Stephen Wickens earned an RBI hit by
pitch and Upchurch followed with a bases clearing double down the
left field line. Peacock
put the icing on the cake in the eighth with a towering solo
homerun to left field.
Campbell concludes its three-game A-Sun series with a single game
against FGCU tomorrow at Taylor Field. The first pitch is slated for 1
p.m.
