BATON ROUGE, La -The Campbell softball team (2-8-1) traveled to
Baton Rouge, La. to participate in the Purple & Gold Challenge
and fell in the first game of the tournament to Syracuse (4-7) 7-5
on Friday, March 5 at Tiger Stadium. The Camels held a 5-2 lead but
could not hold the advantage and gave up the lead and four runs in
the fifth inning.
Senior Brittany Stanley (0-4) took
the loss and allowed six runs (four earned) in 4.1 innings pitched.
Brittany Gardner (2-1) came in relief to pitch 3.1 innings for the
victory for Syracuse.
The Orange plated a run in the first as Hallie Gibbs singled in
Veronica Grant with two outs. A nice throw from junior outfielder
Katie Hinton to junior
second baseman Keeli Michael eliminated
Gibbs as she tried to stretch the hit into a double.
Campbell tied the game in the third inning. Freshman Sarah Forgacs and
Michael walked to lead off the inning. After the next two were
retired, sophomore Christina Melton drove in
Michael with a single through the box to tie the game at one
all.
The Orange struck back in their half of the frame. Morgan Nandin
and Veronica Grant both singled to the left side of the infield.
Nandin came in to score the team's second run on an error on the CU
first baseman.
The Camels threatened in the fourth when junior Amanda
Miller and Forgacs both singled to right but the frame was
ended on a strikeout.
Syracuse was back at end in the bottom of the fourth. Kelly Saco
and Lacey Kohl both reached on short singles. Jenna Caira walked to
load the bases with no one out, but Stanley was up to the task and
retired the next three in order on a pop out, fielder's choice and
a ground out to keep the game at 2-1.
CU took the lead with four runs in the fifth inning. Hinton led off
the frame with a walk. She then stole second. A single to left from
junior Lauren Stephan moved her to
third. A walk to Melton loaded the bases. Junior Katie
Woodcock, who had been inserted the previous inning as
defensive replacement, then punched a two-run single down the right
field line to plate Hinton and Stephan. The hit was the second
two-RBI hit in as many at bats for Woodcock. Sophomore Taylor
McGee was able to coax a walk to load the bases again. Miller
drove in the third run of the inning with a single up the middle in
which Woodcock was thrown out at the plate on a strong throw from
the centerfield and great block by the SU catcher. Stanley drove in
the fifth run of the game with her sacrifice fly to center.
The Orange would not go quietly and promptly put up four runs of
their own in the bottom of the frame to take the lead. Lisaira
Daniels reached on a bunt single. She then stole second and third.
Hallie Gibbs walked to put runners on the corners. Kelly Saco then
drove in Daniels with a single. A Kohl single drove in the next
run. The game was tied up on a fielder's choice ground out. The
Orange took the lead on Stacy Kuwik's single.
SU added an insurance run in the sixth on Daniels RBI single that
drove in Grant, who had walked to lead off the frame to take a 7-5
advantage to the seventh.
The Camels will continue play in the tournament and take on South
Alabama at 2:30 p.m. cst later this afternoon.
