RALEIGH, N.C. After nearly a week off for exams, Campbell
showed little signs of rust as they defeated N.C. State by a 7-4
margin at Doak Field. The Camels improve to
23-19 on the season, while the Wolfpack dips to 20-25.
The Wolfpack got the scoring started in the bottom of the second
when Andrew Ciencin hit a solo home run over the left field
wall. Ciencin's third home run of the season
gave NCSU a 1-0 lead.
NC
State extended their lead to 2-0 when Andrew Ciencin hit his second
home run of the game. The solo home run by
Ciencin, like his first, cleared the left field wall.
Campbell finally pushed runs across in the top half of the
fourth. The Camels scored four runs in the
inning to take a 4-2 lead. The fourth inning
got started with a Kevin Nelson (Sunrise, Fla.) bunt down the left
side of the infield. After Chris Bangi
(Jacksonville, Fla.) walked, Ellis Lowe (San Diego, Calif.) laid
down a sacrifice bunt that allowed Nelson and Bangi to move 90 feet
closer to home.
With one out, Ryan Hamme (Wilmington, N.C.) walked on four straight
pitches to give the Camels bases loaded.
Brian Gana (Richland, Wash.) brought home two Camels (Nelson and
Bangi) around to score with a double to the left center field
gap. Ryan Hamme scored the third run of the
inning for Campbell when Zach Johnson (Smithfield, N.C.) hit a
sacrifice fly to center field. The fourth
and final run of the inning for Campbell came on a single to center
field by Alex Aycoth (Sanford, Fla.) that allowed Brian Gana to
score, giving the Camels a 4-2 lead.
The Camels would extend their lead to 6-2 thanks to a two run sixth
inning. Bryan Braswell (Rocky Mount, N.C.)
and Kevin Nelson started the inning with a pair of singles. Braswell and Nelson each advanced a base on a
passed ball by catcher Chris Schaeffer.
Braswell scored when Ellis Lowe singled to right field; Nelson was
able to advance to third base on Lowe's hit.
Nelson scored on a Ryan Hamme fielder's choice to the
shortstop.
Jeff Rydman (Gladstone, Mo.) started on the bump for Campbell
against the Wolfpack. The junior pitched 6.1
innings, allowing three runs on six hits, while fanning four NCSU
batters. Rydman now owns a 5-0 record on the
season,
With Campbell leading 6-2, NC State pushed one run across in the
home half of the sixth inning to cut the lead to 6-3. Andrew Ciencin scored his third run of the game on a
Chris Schaeffer double down the left field line.
Campbell pushed its final run of the game across in the top of the
eighth inning. Kevin Nelson scored his third
run of the game on a Ryan Hamme sacrifice fly to left field. Nelson's run gave the Camels a 7-3 lead.
NC
State pushed a run across in the bottom of the ninth inning to make
the final margin 7-4.
Dan Gardo (West Chester, Pa.) picked up his first career save after
pitching the final 2.2 innings. Gardo
allowed just one run on three hits, while fanning five
batters.
The loss was credited to Jimmy Gillheeney and his record is now
5-4. Gillheeney pitched 5.2 innings, giving up 11 hits as six runs
came around to score.
Campbell was led at the dish by Ellis Lowe and Kevin Nelson. The pair of Camels combined for seven hits, three
runs and one RBI.
Campbell and NC State will finish their two game series tomorrow
afternoon. First pitch at Taylor Field is
slated for 4 p.m.