JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The Campbell University baseball team
defeated East Tennessee State on Friday night by a score of 15-12
at Cardinal Park. Campbell
improves to 11-7 on the season and picks up their second conference
win of the season. ETSU
drops to 7-10 overall with a 1-6 mark in league play. The win also extends Campbell's
current win streak over ETSU to four.
The Camels and the Bucs each scored a run in the first two
innings. Campbell would
take a 6-2 lead thanks to a four run third inning. The Camels would extend their lead to
9-4 after four complete innings.
Campbell appeared to have the game in check after the top of the
fifth, when they led 11-4.
The Bucs would come alive late in the game, as they rallied to tie
the game at 12 all after eight complete. The rally was capped by five runs in
the bottom of the eighth.
Campbell hurler Josh Fish got the call on the hill in today's
game. The senior from
Bellingham, Wash., pitched a career high 7.1 innings and struck out
a career best nine batters.
Fish's previous highs were six innings pitched, vs. UNC Greensboro
on February 25th and four strikeouts vs. Elon last season.
Carlton Floyd (Riegelwood, N.C.) and Ryan Hamme (Wilmington, N.C.)
would close out the game on the mound for Campbell. The pair pitched the final 1.2 innings
allowing three runs on three hits. Hamme was credited with the victory
and sits 2-1 on the season.
Campbell would post three runs in the top of the ninth that would
prove to be enough for a victory. The inning would get started with an
Ellis Lowe (San Diego, Calif.) single and a Ryan Hamme walk, giving
the Camels runners at first and second.
With two outs, Alex Aycoth (Sanford, Fla.) singled through the left
side that allowed Ellis Lowe to score. Ryan Hamme would advance to third,
giving Campbell runners at the corners. Brian Gana would reach on an error by
the shortstop, an error that would prove costly as Ryan Hamme and
Alex Aycoth would come in to score.
The top of Campbell's lineup (Matt Keen, Ellis Lowe, Ryan Hamme,
Zach Johnson and Alex Aycoth) accounted for 13 of the Camels 15
runs. Campbell had numerous
offensive leaders that the plate in Friday's game. The leader of the pack was Ryan Hamme
who finished 3-of-4 at the dish with two RBI and four runs
scored.
Other top performers for the Camels were Matt Keen, Ellis Lowe,
Alex Aycoth and Josh Holskey. Ellis Lowe finished 3-of-5 on the day
with four runs scored. Alex
Aycoth batted 2-of-5 with four RBI and two runs scored. Matt Keen (Four Oaks, N.C.) finished
with two hits and two runs scored, while Josh Holskey finished
2-of-4 with two RBI.
ETSU was led at the plate by the trio of Ben Allen, Cory Betterson,
and Garrett May. Allen
finished with five hits in six at bats with an RBI and two runs
scored. Betterson and May
combined for four hits, six RBI and two runs.
ETSU pitcher Dustin Plumlee would be credited with the loss after
three runs scored on his watch in the top of the ninth. Plumlee now owns a 2-3 mark this
season.
Campbell and ETSU will continue the three game series tomorrow with
a doubleheader. First pitch
is slated for 1 p.m. while game two will begin approximately 30
minutes after the completion of game one.
