BUIES
CREEK, N.C. - Games against in-state rivals East Carolina, UNC
Wilmington, and NC State, a matchup with 2009 regional opponent,
Xavier University, and a 27-game conference schedule highlight the
2010 spring schedule for the Fighting Camels baseball
squad.
This
schedule marks the third in the tenure of Greg Goff but it promises
to be one of the most challenging since his arrival in Buies Creek
previous to the 2008 campaign. Campbell will face off against 21
different teams during the spring, with these teams having won a
combined 516 contests during the 2009 season.
"We
have put together another demanding, but exciting schedule for the
2010 season highlighted with in-state opponents NC State, East
Carolina, and UNC-Wilmington," head coach Greg Goff said. "Our goal
with this schedule was to build on the momentum of our
record-setting home attendance from last season, and being able to
have 33 home games was definitely a bonus. This allows our fans a
good opportunity to come out and have a great time watching our
team compete against some first-rate opponents."
Asheville
and NC State highlight first week
Campbell
opens the 2010 slate at home against UNC Asheville with a single
contest on February 19th followed by a doubleheader on February
20th. The Bulldogs, under new head coach Tom Smith, are looking to
be provide a tough challenge for the first weekend of the season.
After the home weekend against UNC Asheville, the Fighting Camels
hit the road for the short trip to Raleigh to face off against
in-state ACC foe, North Carolina State.
Last
season Campbell swept the home and home two-game series with the
Wolfpack, marking the first time in school history they were able
to accomplish that feat. The Fighting Camels will finish the month
of February with a home and home matchup against North Carolina
A&T. The first contest will take place in Greensboro on
February 26th and the doubleheader at Taylor Field to follow on the
27th.
Nine
game home stretch kicks off March for Fighting
Camels
The
month of March starts off with a two-week home stand for Coach
Goff's squad, as they square off against Xavier University, UNC
Wilmington, Savannah State, and LaSalle University. Campbell will
start off the month facing the defending Atlantic 10 champion and
2009 NCAA Regional participant Xavier University on March 2,
followed by a contest against in-state rival and 2008 NCAA Regional
Participant UNC Wilmington on the 3rd.
The
Fighting Camels will be renewing one of their long standing
rivalries with the Seahawks, having split their last home and home
series in 2008, with UNC Wilmington taking the contest at Taylor
Field 6-4, and Campbell knocking off the #22-ranked Seahawks 8-6 in
Wilmington.
The
9-game home stand will conclude with a three-game weekend series
against Savannah State, and a mid-week clash with the LaSalle
Explorers on March 9 and 10. Campbell has won 3 of the last 4
games against these two teams, including a two game sweep of
Savannah State last year, and a two game split against the
Explorers in 2006.
Mercer
to start off 2010 Atlantic Sun slate
Campbell
will head on the road to Macon, Ga. for the first conference series
of the young 2010 season against the Mercer Bears. Last year the
series against Mercer was cancelled due to four days set of heavy
rain in Buies Creek. In 2008, Campbell also opened conference play
with the Bears, winning game one and then dropping the following
two. But, the Fighting Camels got even that year by eliminating
Mercer from the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament with an 11-3
victory in Deland.
The
series between the Fighting Camels and Mercer has always been
competitive as the series split is 27-26 in favor of Campbell. The
Bears finished the 2009 slate with a 23-23 record and will be
bringing back a load of talent from that squad and promises to be a
frontrunner in the Atlantic Sun.
Following
the trip to Macon, Campbell will return to the friendly confines of
Taylor Field to face off against Maryland-Eastern Shore in a two
game set starting on March 16th. The last time these two teams
faced off against each other was in 2000 and Campbell holds a 3-0
series lead over the Eagles.
Campbell
will then face its second Atlantic Sun opponent in Kennesaw State
starting on March 19th. Last season the two split the conference
series 1-1 as the third game was cancelled due to inclement
weather. The Owls hold the series lead 3-6 over the Fighting
Camels.
Campbell
will conclude a 7-game home stand with North Carolina State coming
to Buies Creek on March 23rd. They
will then conclude the month of March with a three-game conference
series against the Ospreys of the University of North Florida in
Jacksonville, and return home to play Norfolk State on March 30,
with Campbell returning the trip to Norfolk on May 11th.
April
Presents Good Challenges for the Fighting
Camels
Campbell
will back to Florida over the first weekend of April, this time to
Deland to face off against Atlantic Sun traditional power Stetson
University. The Hatters have made regional appearances in 4 of the
last 8 years, and will be an ASUN favorite once again in 2010. The
Camels will then head down to Wilmington, N.C. for the completion
of the home and home series with the Seahawks.
Taylor
Field will play host to two of the last three weekends in April as
the Camels will host the two-time defending Atlantic Sun regular
season champs Florida Gulf Coast Eagles, on April 9 and 10, and the
East Tennessee State on April 23 and 24. Campbell will hit the
road to Spartanburg, SC to face Atlantic Sun foe USC Upstate on
April 16 and 17.
April
will also feature the annual two-game home and home series with
2009 NCAA Super Regional participant East Carolina Pirates. On
April 13 the Fighting Camels will travel to Greenville where they
were victorious last season 12-8 against the # 17 ranked Pirates.
ECU will return the trip the next week, April 20, for a rematch of
a thrilling 10-9 ECU victory at Taylor Field in 2009.
Camels
Hit the Stretch Run in May
The
Fighting Camels will begin May by playing a weekend series against
in-state foe North Carolina Central University with the Friday game
(April 30th) being played at Taylor Field and the following two
being played in Durham at the legendary Durham Athletic Park on May
1. The DAP was showcased during the filming of the iconic baseball
film Bull
Durham, and
now serves as the home field for the NCCU Eagles.
The
non-conference slate for May will feature 4 games against Longwood
University, beginning with a home weekend series on May 7-8, and a
trip to Farmville, Va. on May 18th.
The
conference schedule will feature the traditional May opponents for
Campbell as they visit Nashville for a showdown with the Bruins
from Belmont University on May 14 and 15, and host the Bisons from
Lipscomb University on the final weekend of the regular season, May
20 and 21. In 2009, the Fighting Camels went 3-3 against these
respective conference opponents, taking 2 or 3 from the Bruins at
Taylor Field, and dropping 2 of 3 to the Bisons in Nashville.
The
Atlantic Sun Championship will take place in Nashville, Tennessee,
May 26-29, 2010. The top six seeds will advance to the conference
tournament out of a possible ten teams, with the winner of the
tournament earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Regional
Tournament.