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Campbell University

Campbell to celebrate silver anniversary of Henry Rochelle's 5 home run game

BUIES CREEK, N.C. - Campbell University will celebrate one of the greatest single-game achievements in NCAA baseball history on Tuesday - the 25th anniversary of Henry Rochelle's five home run game.

Nearly a quarter century has passed since the native of Holly Ridge, N.C., clubbed five round trippers as a freshman in Campbell's 38-0 victory over Radford at Taylor Field.

On Tuesday (Mar. 30), Rochelle will throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to Campbell's 6:00 p.m. game against Norfolk State.

On Mar., 30, 1985, Rochelle accomplished a feat that Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams or any other slugger in the history of Major League Baseball never achieved.

The 1984 Dixon High School graduate hit five home runs in a game to establish a record that stood for 14 seasons in the NCAA Division I ranks until Marshall McDougal of Florida State hit six home runs vs. Maryland on May 9, 1999.

In his "once-in-a-lifetime" game, Rochelle went 8-for-8, scored eight runs, blasted five home runs and knocked in 10 runs. Rochelle established new NCAA records for most home runs (5) and most total bases in a game (23) while tying the NCAA standard for most runs scored in a game (8).

Rochelle's home runs came in the first, third, fourth, seventh and eighth innings. His incredible performance lifted his batting average from .302 to .412 and his slugging average from .419 to .804. He had not homered prior to the game and hit more home runs in that contest than he did during his high school career (4).

"I couldn't believe I hit five," Rochelle said at the time. "I was expecting a lot of breaking balls after I hit the first couple of homers and the last two I hit out were curves. I was just looking to get a base hit when I went to the plate. I guess it's one of those once-in-a-lifetime things. It's kind of hard for me to believe."

Rochelle's records still stand in Campbell University single-game charts for runs scored (8), hits (8), home runs (5), RBI (10) and total bases (23) in a game.

However, his career should be remembered for much more than just one of the 186 games he played. Rochelle finished with a .297 career batting average, 38 doubles, 24 homers and a .499 slugging percentage. He also owns the best career winning percentage on the mound in Camel Division I era (since 1978) history at .850, winning 17 of 20 decisions. Rochelle's career 3.85 earned run average is 3rd-lowest in Camel record books and he still stands 3rd in career saves (11).

Rochelle was named to the Big South all-conference team as a senior in 1988 when the Camels captured their first league title as a Division I member.

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