LYNCHBURG, Va. – Freshman Kailey Farmer hit a grand slam in the top of the seventh inning to propel Campbell's softball team (26-26, 9-8 Big South) to a comeback 9-6 victory over Liberty (18-30, 9-11 BSC) on Friday, April 27, at Liberty Softball Field. The Camels lost a close 7-6 game to the Flames to start the day.
In the second game the Camels trailed 5-0 after two inning and 6-1 after the third frame before scoring a run in the sixth inning and a seven spot in the seventh to complete the comeback on Farmer's seventh home run of the season. Junior Sarah Forgacs started the seventh inning rally for the Camels with a single. Freshman Ericka Nesbitt followed with a single of her own. A single from fellow rookie Stephanie Jones loaded the bases. Sophomore Raven Lee was then hit by a pitch to drive in the first run of the frame. After a strikeout for the first out, sophomore Shaela Churchill hit a fielder's choice to the shortstop that saw no one retired for an RBI. Senior Christina Melton was hit by a pitch to draw the Camels to 6-5. Farmer then stepped to the plate and hammered a ball to left field and over the wall to give the Camels the team's first lead of the afternoon. The grand slam was the third by a CU player this season.
Sophomore Olivia Scarborough (9-4), who entered the game in the third and held the Flames scoreless from that point on, closed the final inning out with a line out and two pop outs to preserve the victory. The loss was taken by Liberty's Chandler Ball (10-11). Ball entered the game in the top of the seventh and could only record an out and all seven runs.
Liberty took the early lead in the second game with three unearned runs in the opening inning. Sammi Shivock started the trouble with a two-out single up the middle. Meredith Crisante then doubled off the center field wall to move Shivock to third. The next batter, Jill Stephens, hit a grounder to first that was misplayed to allow both Shivock and Crisante to score. Stephens ran all the way to third on the attempted play at the plate and scored on Jenny Law's single.
The Flames added two more runs in the second frame. Kaylee West had a lead-off walk. She took second and then third as the CU first baseman dropped a bunt attempt and then threw the ball away over the shortstop's head. Bridgett Woods reached base on the play. Kelby Allen followed with a walk to load the bases. A sacrifice fly from Kelly Strickland plated West. Shivock drove in the next run with her single.
The Camels drew a run closer in the third inning. Nesbitt reached on a bunt single and moved all the way to third base on two-base throwing error from the LU catcher. Nesbitt scored the team's first run on Jones' RBI ground out.
The Flames added another unearned run to the advantage in the third inning. Amber Donovan reached on a two-out fielding error from CU. A walk moved her to second and she scored on a Woods double to left field.
The Camels made it a 6-2 game in the sixth inning as Melton doubled and scored on Farmer's single in the gap in right center to help set up the dramatic seventh inning comeback.
Scarborough took the loss in the opening game for Campbell and allowed five runs in 2.1 innings worked. Junior Brittany Arnn threw the last 3.2 innings of relief. Liberty's Ball won the first game. She allowed four runs in four innings worked. Alyssa DiMartino earned the save with three innings of relief. She gave up a run in her outing.
The Camels put a pair of runners on base in the opening stanza with Jones and Lee reaching on singles. Senior Taylor McGee then punched a ball to the right side that directly hit Lee for a runner's interference to end the promising inning.
Liberty loaded the bases and scored pair of runs in the first on the hit by pitch by Jill Stephens and the single to left by Jenny Law.
The Camels threatened again in the second as Farmer singled and Churchill walked. The next batter, Forgacs, was retired on a sinking line drive to center to end the frame.
Liberty exploded for three runs in the third inning. Shivock led-off the frame with a single up the middle. Stephens walked and both came in to score on Law's three-run home run.
The Flames used another long ball in the fourth to add a pair to the advantage. Kelby Allen reached on a one-out single and scored on Strickland's blast.
The Camels cut into the lead in the fifth inning. Churchill had a lead-off single and moved to second on Forgacs' sacrifice bunt that was dropped by the Liberty third baseman to put Forgacs on first. Nesbitt followed with a single off the pitcher to drive in Churchill. Jones pushed a single to the shortstop to plate Forgacs. Lee unloaded with her ninth home run of the season to score Nesbitt and Jones and close the gap to 7-5.
CU got to within a run in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly from Jones. Churchill had a one-out single. Freshman Maggie Christopher ran for Churchill and moved to second on Forgacs' single. Nesbitt then singled to load the bases. Jones followed with a sacrifice fly to score Christopher.
Campbell wraps up the series with Liberty with a single game against the Flames on Saturday, April 28, at 1 p.m.
