BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell failed to gain ground in a heated
conference race as they dropped Thursday's contest to USC Upstate
by a score of 7-4 at Taylor Field. The
Camels, who have never beaten the Spartans, fall to 0-4 in the
all-time series and now own a season record of 27-22 (7-17
A-Sun). The Spartans improve their season
mark to 15-37 and 5-23 in league play.
Campbell jumped out to an early lead after the first inning. The Camels owned a 2-0 lead when Zach Johnson
(Smithfield, N.C.) hit his 29th double of the season,
allowing Chris Bangi (Jacksonville, Fla.) and Ellis Lowe (San
Diego, Calif.) to score. In the inning, the
Camels had runners on the corners, but Zach Johnson was tagged out
on an attempted double steal, to record the third out of the
inning.
Campbell held USC Upstate to zero runs over the first four innings,
however the Spartans broke through in the fifth inning. With the Camels owning a 2-0 lead, the Spartans posted
five runs in the fifth to take a 5-2 lead.
Shortstop Eric Guillen scored the first run for the Spartans to cut
the deficit to just one run. Campbell
appeared to end the Upstate threat until a fielding error by Ellis
Lowe allowed the inning to continue with two outs. The four other runs posted by the Spartans were all
unearned as they had five runs on five hits in the inning with a
pair of Camel errors.
Campbell scored a single run in the bottom of the fifth and eighth
innings to cut the Upstate lead to 5-4.
Chris Bangi scored in the fifth on an RBI double by Brian Gana
(Richland, Wash.). In the eighth, Brian Gana
came in to score when Alex Aycoth (Sanford, Fla.) advanced to first
on an error by the second baseman on what appeared to be a routine
groundout.
Campbell started southpaw Jeff Rydman (Gladstone, Mo.) on the
bump. The junior pitched six complete
innings, with the fifth proving to be the only hiccup for the first
year Camel. Rydman allowed five runs, only
one earned, on nine hits with three strikeouts and a walk. Rydman was credited with the loss and now owns a
5-1 mark on the year.
Dan Gardo (West Chester, Pa.) relieved Rydman after six
innings. Gardo pitched 2.2 innings, giving
up two runs on three hits with pair of strikeouts and a walk.
The two runs allowed by Gardo came in the top of the ninth inning
as the Spartans increased their lead to 7-4.
Junior Hunter Ford recorded the final out in the ninth inning for
Campbell. Ford threw just two pitches in the
contest, as Jimmy Tanner was thrown out trying to steal second base
on what appeared to be a failed double steal.
The Camels failed to push any runs across in the home half of the
ninth as Ellis Lowe and Stephen Parsons (Chesapeake, Va.) were left
stranded on first and second respectively.
Brian Gana led the Camels at the plate on Thursday. The senior finished 2-for-4, with a run and a RBI.
Earlier in the day, Mercer defeated Belmont by a score of 9-5,
compounded with Campbell's loss; Mercer has clinched a spot in the
2009 A-Sun Baseball Championship.
The final spot will either be earned by the Camels or the Bucs of
ETSU. Campbell, in order to advance to next
week's six-team tournament, must win one more game than the Bucs
are able to.
Campbell and USC Upstate will conclude their three game tilt with a
doubleheader tomorrow beginning at 1 p.m.
Fans are encouraged to arrive early to support the six outgoing
seniors as Campbell celebrates Senior Day at Taylor Field.
