BUIES CREEK, N.C.- Campbell begins a
five-game home stand and looks to revert back to winning ways when
it hosts the ETSU Buccaneers on Friday for a three game A-Sun
series at Taylor Field. Live audio, video and statistics will be
available for all three games via Campbell's official athletic
website www.GoCamels.com.
Campbell (3-5, 1-2 A-Sun), who enters
Friday's series on a four game skid, most recently lost a pair of
mid-week non-conference games to Florida by scores of 15-3 and
15-0. Freshman Ellis Lowe was a bright spot in the Camels' lineup
going 5-for-8 with an RBI in the past two games. The middle
infielder from San Diego, Ca. currently leads Campbell in batting
average (.444) and is tied for seventh among the A-Sun's best in
the category.
Campbell came out swinging in game one of
last years' series against the Buccaneers posting a 10-6 victory in
the contest, only to drop the next two games by identical scores of
5-4. Ryan Hamme paced the Camels going 5-for-12 in the series
knocking in three runs and scoring two more. The junior from
Wilmington, N.C. also threw an inning of scoreless relief in the
first game of the 2007 series.
East Tennessee State, who was picked to
finish eighth by the A-Sun coaches, has struggled in its first nine
games of 2008, posting a 1-8 overall record and 1-2 A-Sun mark. The
Buccaneers fell six times before earning their first victory and
most recently suffered two loses to Austin Peay in Johnston City,
Tenn. ETSU was pinned with a 5-6 extra inning loss in game one
followed by a 9-7 defeat in the second contest.
The Buccaneers currently boast two
hitters over .300 led by Ben Allen and Anthony Russell. Through
nine games Allen is batting .385 with two doubles and four RBI,
while Russell has driven in six runs in 33 at-bats. The two have
combined to hit three long balls so far this season.
ETSU also features Brandon Langston, a
Preseason A-Sun All Conference selection as a starting pitcher.
Although he has struggled as of early posting an 0-2 record with a
7.36 ERA, Langston had a solid junior campaign going 6-7 with a
3.93 ERA over 105.1 innings of work. The senior right-hander from
Ringgold, Ga. also struck out 69 batters and only surrendered 25
walks.
In addition to the regular season,
Campbell faced the Buccaneers in an elimination game at the 2006
A-Sun tournament. After leading 9-4 in the seventh inning ETSU put
up a six runs in the bottom of the seventh and a run in the eighth
to hand Campbell an 11-10 loss and end its season. ETSU currently
leads the all-time series 5-2.
After the weekend series Campbell will
host UNC Wilmington on Tuesday, Mar. 11. The non-conference matchup
is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
