BUIES CREEK, N.C.- Brian Gana hit two home runs and Ryan Hamme was
a long ball short of the cycle, but High Point used a five run
second and four run eighth to push past Campbell 9-8, Tuesday night
at Taylor Field. Campbell
(11-21, 6-12 A-Sun) committed three errors, which resulted in seven
unearned runs.
Campbell chased High Point's starter Mikel Rodenberg after scoring
seven runs in five innings, but Jeremy Berg (2-2) picked up his
second win of the season allowing one run in an inning of
relief. Bubba O'Donnell
sealed the deal for the Panthers as he tossed two shutout innings
to close the game and earned his fourth save of the season.
Wes Edwards (0-2) suffered the loss for the Camels despite throwing
two innings without allowing an earned run. The freshman from Rochester, N.Y. was
touched for just one hit and struck out three batters.
Gana and Hamme led the Fighting Camels' offense going a combined
7-for-9. Gana launched two
homers in the game and knocked in five runs and scored two more,
while Hamme went 3-for-4 with two extra base hits.
Freshman Ellis Lowe also had a solid day at the plate as he
collected three hits and extended his team-leading hitting streak
to 15 games. Lowe also
tallied his 12th multi-hit game of the season.
High Point (11-20, 5-4 Big South) had three players have multi-hit
performances headed by Billy Alvino. Alvino, a junior from Holtsville,
N.Y., stroked a double and knocked in two runs.
After Campbell starter Colin Parker sat the first three Panthers
down in order, the Camels opened all scoring posting three runs in
the first inning. Lowe used
a single to left field to knock in Hamme, who led the inning off
with a triple to right-center, and Gana followed with a towering
blast to right field. The
two RBI homer marked Gana's first as a Camel.
High Point took advantage of two fielding errors by Campbell
defenders, scoring five unearned runs in the second. Randy Schwartz reached base on a
dropped ball by Campbell right fielder Brandon Scott and scored on
a sacrifice fly to left field by Drew Geissinger. After Kyle Mahoney slapped an RBI
single up the middle, Alvino did the damage with a two RBI single
through the left side.
Alvino's hit scored Pablo Rosario who reached on Campbell's second
error of the inning.
Campbell proved to be relentless scoring four runs in the fifth and
a run in the seventh to take an 8-5 lead heading into the
eighth. Scott and Gana put
the Panthers on the ropes in the fifth as both had two RBI. Scott poked a double to
right-center and Gana sent a two out single to right field.
Gana lifted off for the second time in the game in the seventh to
propel Campbell to a three run lead.
High Point mounted its final comeback in the eighth scoring four
runs to put the Camels away. Campbell nearly escaped the inning
with little to no damage, but a throwing error from third base
lifted High Point to its second big inning of the game. Rosario, Schwartz and Geissinger all
had RBI in the inning.
Campbell out-hit High Point 13-11, but committed three errors to
the Panthers' one.
Campbell continues its rigorous scheduled tomorrow (April 9) at No.
22 UNC Wilmington. The game
is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.