KENNESAW, Ga. – The Campbell softball team fell 4-3 to Bowling Green on the final day of the Kennesaw State Phyllis Rafter Memorial Tournament at Bailey Park. The Camels had their opportunities, but left five runners on base including a runner at third base in the fourth, fifth and six innings.
Senior right fielder Sarah Forgacs (Cary, N.C.) led Campbell (8-3) at the plate with two hits including a triple, while the team posted six base knocks during the contest. Driving in runs against Bowling Green (3-2) were sophomore third baseman Brittany Bruce (Lumberton, N.C.) and freshman catcher Courtney Klingler (Alvin, Texas).
Scoring twice for the Camels was sophomore shortstop Ericka Nesbitt (Salisbury, N.C.), who snapped a 20-game hitting streak that dated back to last season, but has now successfully reached base in 21-straight contests.
In the circle, junior Olivia Scarborough (Buies Creek, N.C.) tossed 6.2 innings, giving up eight hits and striking out two opposing batters. The final ground out was recorded by senior Brittany Arnn (Awendale, N.C.).
Bowling Green was paced by the 3-for-4 performance by Paige Berger, who drove in two runs and hit the game-winning solo home run in the top of the sixth. Hannah Fulk also registered a multi-hit game.
The victory was credited to Paris Imholz (2-0), who threw four innings of relief and struck out two. The starter Jaime Kertes pitchied the first three frames, allowing two earned runs.
The Falcons started the contest with two runners on base following singles from Fulk and Berger. A double steal enabled the Campbell defense to rebound and throw out Fulk at the plate to end the Bowling Green threat.
During the bottom of the frame, Nesbitt drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a sac bunt by Bruce. Campbell took a 1-0 lead on a single to center by Klingler.
Three runs on three hits provided Bowling Green with its first lead of the game 3-2 in the third.
A leadoff triple by Forgacs seemed to spark the offense for Campbell in the fourth, but a pitching change by the Falcons brought in Imholz, who retired the side without any damage.
In the fifth, a one-out walk to Nesbitt and passed ball put a runner in scoring position. Bruce came through with a single to right center, knotting the contest at three. She reached third base with two outs before the Falcons ended the frame.
Bowling Green answered in the top of the sixth with a leadoff home run by Berger.
During the bottom-half, Forgacs began the inning by beating out an infield single to third. The Cary, N.C., native stole second and moved to third on a fly out with two away.
Campbell travels to N.C. Central on Tuesday for a doubleheader that is set to begin at 1:30 p.m. in Durham. The next home game at Amanda Littlejohn Stadium is the Camel Stampede as Drexel, Morehead State, Northern Kentucky and Norfolk State head to Buies Creek on Mar. 8-9.
