BUIES CREEK, N.C.-Campbell wrapped up the 2011 baseball season, the fourth under head coach Greg Goff and the final as a member of the Atlantic Sun conference in late May.
The Camels finished the year 17-37 overall and 3-27 in A-Sun games, leaning heavily on a youthful unit that featured 13 newcomers. After losing 19 lettermen from 2010 and returning just 13, 10 of those 13 newcomers were looked to in key situations, and most were everyday players for Goff.
Injuries also plagued the Camels as Jimmy Brenneman, Bryce Grady, Tyler Hutchinson, Hector Cedano, Frank Zier, Josh Holskey, Alan Denman and Manny Alvarez, who were all considered starters, missed multiple games due to various injuries throughout the season. Matt Sergey, the Camels' likely Friday starter, was lost before the season and sat out the entire year.
Holskey led the Camels on the year 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 with 25 RBIs and Brenneman fashioned a .323 average. Brenneman tacked on a .493 on-base percentage, and was hit by a school record 31 pitches this season.
Denman and Grady hit .316 and .304 on the season, respectively.
On the mound, 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.
The Camels again ranked among the nations top statistical teams in several categories, finished in the top-50 in scoring (46th, 6.6 runs per game), stolen bases per game (22nd, 1.69), stolen bases (39th, 91), times hit by pitch (1st, 133) and sacrifice flies (44th, 29).
Several individuals also ranked in the nation's top-100. Brenneman ranked in on-base percentage (22nd, .493), stolen bases per game (15th, 0.55), stolen bases (38th, 26), times hit by pitch (1st, 31) and runs per game (60th, 1.0). Denman was listed in times hit by pitch (40th, 16) and sacrifice flies (25th, 7), while Holskey ranked in times hit by pitch (55th, 15) and Lowe one of the toughest to strike out (66th, 12.8). One the mound, Markberry ranked in strikeouts per nine innings (56th, 9.67).
Brenneman led the nation in hit by pitch, the second time in three seasons that a Camel has led the all of Division I in the category after Chris Bangi earned the title in 2009. Brenneman's 31 times hit by pitch set a school single-season after being hit in the Camels' finale against USC Upstate. The junior was knotted with Bangi's (2009-10) 2009 mark.
Alan Denman, who was hit by 15 pitches last season, now tied for sixth in single-season history, was hit 16 times this year.
Several Camels were honored on the year, with Holskey taking home his second-consecutive Academic All-District honor. The Roanoke, Va. native was named First Team Academic All-District 3 by the Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), 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 in 2010 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.
Holskey finished the 2011 season on a 12 game hit streak, the longest by a Camel all season. 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.
Junior shortstop Ryne Briley also finished the year on a tear, hitting .333 (11-33) in his last 13 games. Briley posted 11 of his 20 total hits in those final 13 games that included his first career home run. Briley 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. He batted .217 on the season.
Closing a stellar four-year career, Lowe pushed his name to the top of multiple Campbell records, finishing 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. Lowe finished at 69 doubles, 201 runs, 449 total bases, 919 at-bats and 217 games played.
He finished as one of the top hitters in A-Sun baseball history as well, closing to 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.
The Camels began the 2011 season with a 6-2 record through their first eight contests, winning its first series over North Carolina A&T on opening weekend, then sweeping future Big South foe UNC Asheville at home a week later.
After the Asheville sweep, Jimmy Brenneman was named the Atlantic Sun's Player of the Week. Brenneman led the Campbell offensive attack with a .462 average on the week, scoring seven runs in four games, a team-high, while knocking in three runs from the leadoff slot. The West Chester, Ohio native also stole four bases on four attempts. In game one of Saturday's doubleheader with Asheville, Brenneman paced CU with a 3-for-5 effort that included two doubles, scoring three times and knocking in one. In the nightcap, Brenneman posted a 2-for-4 rate at the dish, scoring twice and collecting two RBI.
In Campbell's home A-Sun opening series, nationally-ranked Stetson came to Buies Creek. In the series finale, the Camels won 7-2 behind the strong starting pitching of rookie Ryan Koopman. Koopman, a freshman from Tipp City, Ohio, went the distance for the first time in his short career as a Camel, allowing two runs, one earned, on eight hits, while striking out four and walking three.
The complete game was the first by a Camel of the season and the first since Logan Davis threw a complete 9.0 against North Florida last season (3/27/10). Josh Holskey was 4-for-4 in the game, one of five Camels to drive in a run. Brenneman and Denman combined to score five runs in the CU win.
The Camels ended the season with four complete games, all in wins, with three coming in A-Sun play. After Koopman's complete game win over the Hatters, 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 North Carolina Central. Parker fanned four and allowed two runs on six hits in the 8-2 win.
In the Camels' next home appearance following the win over Stetson, freshman Joe Turkson tied the single-game walks record against Maryland Eastern Shore, drawing a free pass four times in game one of a doubleheader. Turkson tied the record held by Ron Ammons, who walked four times on two occasions (at North Carolina Wesleyan 4/16/80 and at Stetson 3/3/81), and J.C. Hendrix (vs. UNC Asheville 3/13/92). The Camels won both games in the twinbill, downing the Hawks 25-13 and 19-12.
Later that same week, Campbell hosted Northwestern in a three game slate, the first Big Ten member to visit Buies Creek since Michigan State in 1998.
While Cameron Nelson's walk-off three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth highlighted the series for the Camels, the Campbell bullpen made considerable strides in the series, allowing only two runs, neither of which where earned, in 16.0 innings of work.
The Camel relievers surrendered just three hits, walking just two, and struck out 11, including five by sophomore Ryan Mattes, who allowed one hit in 4 2/3 innings of relief on Thursday night in the opener.
Logan Self pitched 7 1/3 innings out of the pen on Saturday in the series finale, allowing just three base runners on a hit and two walks. The outing was Self's longest of his career. Matt Marksberry fanned two and relinquished one hit.
Nelson's blast came off Paul Snieder's one out 2-1 pitch, sending the ball well over the wall right center for a walk-off home run, as Campbell downed Northwestern 9-6 at Taylor Field.
Down, 6-5 headed into the bottom of the ninth, Kyle Holmstrom and Ben Fish both connected on infield hits to put runners at first and third with one out. Joe Turkson reached on an error that scored Erick Gaylord, who was inserted as a pinch runner for Holmstrom, tying the game at 6-all.
With a 2-1 count, Nelson then smashed Snieder's offering into the night, giving the Camels the 9-6 win. Nelson's walk-off was the first for the Camels since opening day 2008, when Brandon Scott won it against Dayton in Greg Goff's first game leading CU.
Campbell followed that series with a win over Duke at home, defeating the Blue Devils 4-1 in a midweek contest. Lowe knocked in two and scored a pair while Campbell relievers tossed six shutout innings in the win.
The win was Campbell's first over the Blue Devils since 2001, when CU topped Duke 12-8 at Taylor Field and 7-0 in Durham. Mattes picked up the win with four innings pitched, surrendering just three hits without a run. The sophomore struck out three and walked just one, moving to 2-1 on the season. Marksberry earned the save, his second, going two frames with just one hit, striking out three and walking one. Koopman started the game, going three innings with one run on four hits with three punch outs.
That win was one of 10 over in-state competition in 2011, marking the fourth-straight year the Camels have owned a winning record against North Carolina competition. After the 10-8 season against NC foes, the Camels are now 32-15 since 2008.
After concluding the season, junior right-handed pitcher Jake Smith was selected in the 48th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball first year player draft by the San Francisco Giants.
Smith was the 1,467th overall pick, and 26th selection in the 48th round of the draft.
Smith was 2-3 on the season for the Camels, owning a 7.44 ERA with two saves in 21 appearances, including five starts. The rising senior notched 39 strikeouts in 52 innings on the mound in 2010.
The right-hander picked up a win over North Carolina A&T in his CU debut, fanning seven in five innings. Out of the bullpen, Smith tossed three shutout innings at East Carolina, at Jacksonville and at North Carolina State scattered across the season, fanning five with just one hit at JU.
Smith is the Camels' first MLB draft pick since Ryan Hamme in 2009, who was taken in the 31st round by the Chicago White Sox, and the second overall player under head coach Greg Goff from Campbell to be selected. He is the 45th Camel ever to be taken in the draft.
The process has begun for a facelift that will significantly enhance the home of the Camels, Tay Field. Construction started prior to the season with the demolition of existing bathrooms, entrance, storage facility, and exterior fencing.
Upgrades continued through the start of the season with a new entrance gate and ticket booth, restroom and concession facility, exterior wrought iron fencing and improved exterior landscaping. Phase two is slated to begin during the summer of 2011 with the demolition of the existing Taylor Field grandstand, press box and concession stand. A new grandstand will then be added with seating for 1,985 fans, including nearly 600 chair-backs, plus a new pressbox, new brick exterior for the stadium, dugouts and increased picnic and pavilion seating down the foul lines.
The process has begun for a facelift that will significantly enhance the home of the Camels, Tay Field. Construction started prior to the season with the demolition of existing bathrooms, entrance, storage facility, and exterior fencing.
Upgrades continued through the start of the season with a new entrance gate and ticket booth, restroom and concession facility, exterior wrought iron fencing and improved exterior landscaping. Phase two is slated to begin during the summer of 2011 with the demolition of the existing Taylor Field grandstand, press box and concession stand. A new grandstand will then be added with seating for 1,985 fans, including nearly 600 chair-backs, plus a new pressbox, new brick exterior for the stadium, dugouts and increased picnic and pavilion seating down the foul lines.
