Skip To Main Content

Campbell University

Baseball Monday Notebook, May 23

BUIES CREEK, N.C.-Campbell wrapped up the 2011 season last week taking one of three games from USC Upstate in its final Atlantic Sun series.

Tracking the Camels
Overall: 17-37
Home: 14-17
Away: 3-20
A-Sun: 3-27

Current Streak: L-2

Last Week: 1-2
May 19: W 11-1 vs. USC Upstate
May 19: L 8-3 vs. USC Upstate
May 20: L 5-1 vs. USC Upstate

Weekly Recap: May 16-21
The Camels completed their season with a three game slate with USC Upstate that featured a doubleheader on Thursday and a single game for Friday's Senior Day. The teams split Thursday, with the Camels taking the opener 11-1 in a run-rule shortened seven inning contest before the Spartans claimed the nightcap 8-3. Upstate then took the finale 5-1 on Friday.

In the opening win, CU starter Frank Zier tossed a complete game, fanning five and walking none with only one run. After surrendering a leadoff hit in the first, the junior sat down the next 17 batters. Alan Denman was 3-for-4 in the game, scoring three times, while Ben Fish drove in three scores in the Campbell win.

Ellis Lowe and Josh Holskey both collected three hits apiece in game two, but the Camels fell 8-3. Ryan Koopman also went seven frames in the loss, allowing only three runs, two earned, while striking out four and walking three. The loss was Koopman's first of the season when notching a quality start (6.0 or more innings pitched and three of loss earned runs).

On Senior Day, the Camels picked up a run off Kyle Holmstrom's solo homer, and Fish picked up another three hit day, but CU took the 5-1 loss.

Leading the Camels
Josh Holskey led the Camels this season with a .359 batting average, six home runs and 42 RBIs. The junior also added 14 doubles and 35 runs scored. Ellis Lowe paced the team with 77 hits, also registering 42 RBIs with a .335 batting average. Ben Fish hit .327 on the season with 25 RBIs and Jimmy Brenneman collected a .323 average. Brenneman tacked on a .493 on-base percentage, and was hit by a school record 31 pitches this season.

Alan Denman and Bryce Grady hit .316 and .304 on the season, respectively.

On the mound, junior Frank Zier posted a 2-5 record with a 5.74 ERA, while freshman Ryan Koopman registered a 3-10 mark with a 6.01 ERA. Ryan Mattes was 3-1 on the year with a 6.12 ERA in 24 appearances, tied for the team lead. Matt Marksberry, who also pitched in 24 games, collected a squad-best 58 strikeouts.

Holskey Named Academic All-District
For the second straight year, Campbell junior Josh Holskey has been named First Team Academic All-District 3 by the Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Holskey's selection is the 13th time a Camel has been named Academic All-District, and the fourth time a CU student-athlete has earned honors multiple times. Kent Cox (1994, 95, 96), William McLean (1997, 98) and Mike Priest (2005, 06) all took multiple honors during their Campbell careers.

The Roanoke, Va. native was named to the list's first team last season as a designated hitter, while this season Holskey joins the squad as an infielder, starting 37 of his 44 games at first base.

Seven other A-Sun student-athletes joined Holskey on the list, including five first team honorees.

Lowe Setting High Career Marks
Ellis Lowe completes his Campbell career as the school's all-time leader in hits, doubles, runs, RBI, total bases, at-bats and games played. The senior also ranks sixth in stolen bases with 49 and seventh in batting average with a .361 career mark.

Lowe became Campbell's all-time leader in runs batted in after breaking the career record vs. Belmont. In game three of the Camels' series with the Bruins, Lowe clubbed a two-run home run to pass Jeff Huff's (1998-01) mark of 167. He now has 173 atop Campbell's all-time list.

The San Diego, Calif. native became Campbell's all-time hits leader earlier this season at East Carolina, picking up three hits to move past Kent Cox's (1993-96) school record. The senior now has 332 career hits. The senior also pushed his name to the top of the doubles, runs, total bases, at-bats and games played record lists, now standing at 69 doubles, 201 runs, 449 total bases, 919 at-bats and 217 games played.

Lowe also finishes as one of the top hitters in A-Sun baseball history, currently standing third in hits (No. 1 Ned French, Stetson, 340), fourth in doubles (No. 1 Frank Corr, Stetson, 79), fifth in at-bats (No. 1 Shane Jordan, Stetson, 995) and is just outside the top-20 in batting average with his .361 career mark (No. 1 Derrell Baker, Georgia Southern, .425).

Among active NCAA career leaders, Lowe ranks first in hits, 18th in total bases and 27th in RBIs.

Brenneman Breaks Hit by Pitch Record
In his first season as a Camel, Jimmy Brenneman has broken the school single-season hit-by-pitch record with 31 after being hit in the Camels' finale against USC Upstate. The junior was knotted with Chris Bangi's (2009-10) 2009 mark. Bangi also owns the next highest total in school history with 22 in 2010.

Alan Denman, who was hit by 15 pitches last season (now tied for sixth in single-season history), was hit 16 times this year.

Brenneman leads the nation in the category, while Denman ranks 13th.

Holskey Finishes on Streak
Junior infielder Josh Holskey finished the 2011 season on a 12 game hit streak, the longest by a Camel all season. Ellis Lowe held the previous season-high of 10. In Holskey's final 12 games, dating back to April 23 in game two of the Belmont series, the junior was 19-for-45, hitting .422 with 11 RBIs and nine runs scored.

Holskey led the team in batting average, home runs and slugging percentage, while tying for the team lead in RBI.

Briley Doubles Up
Junior shortstop Ryne Briley is batted .217 overall this season, splitting time with freshman Manny Alvarez, but the Seattle, Wash. native has picked up his production at the plate as of late, hitting .333 (11-33) in his last 13 games. Briley has posted 11 of his 20 total hits in those last 13 games, including his first career home run. Briley has also scored seven runs in that span, doubling his season total. The junior posted three multi-hit games in his final 13 after collecting one previously.

Going the Distance
The Camels ended the season with four complete games, all in wins, and three coming in A-Sun play. Freshman Ryan Koopman became the first to go the distance this season, going nine frames in a 7-2 CU win over No. 26 Stetson. The Tipp City, Ohio native allowed one earned run while striking out four.

Junior Frank Zier led the Camels to a pair of wins in complete game performances, defeating North Florida and USC Upstate, both at Taylor Field.

Colin Parker was the only CU pitcher to toss a complete game outside of league play or on the road, going seven innings in the first half of a doubleheader at NC Central. Parker fanned four and allowed two runs on six hits in the 8-2 win.

Print Friendly Version