Game Notes | @GoCamelsSB | Camel Stampede Tournament Page

BUIES CREEK, N.C. - The Campbell softball team returns to Amanda Littlejohn Stadium on Friday for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. against Northern Kentucky and Norfolk State as apart of the 2013 Hampton Inn Camel Stampede. The four-team round-robin event also includes Drexel and Morehead State with games beginning on Friday and Saturday at 10 a.m.

Each game of the tournament can be tracked with live stats and the contests involving Campbell can be heard via a free audio broadcast. Links to these live events can be found on the tournament page.

Campbell enters the weekend with a 9-7 record after going 1-4 at the Bank of Hawaii Invitational, earning a third-place finish by defeating Memphis, 3-2, on Mar. 3. Sophomores outfielder Stephanie Jones (Black Mountian, N.C.) and shortstop Ericka Nesbitt (Salisbury, N.C.) were selected to the Bank of Hawaii Invitational All-Tournament Team.

Being recognized as the Big South Player of the Week was Jones. It was the third time this season that a Campbell player has been honored with one of the league's weekly awards.

The Camels continue a season-long 10-game homestand on Wednesday with a doubleheader against Charlotte beginning at 4 p.m. The Big South opener against Gardner-Webb is set for Mar. 15-16.

GoCamels.com Softball Coverage    
-    The official website of Campbell athletics has up-to-date student-athlete bios, schedules, notes and statistics.
-    Be sure to follow @GoCamelsSB on Twitter for in-game updates along with news and information about the program
-    Live stats are available for each game the Camels play.
-    For many contest home and away, a free audio broadcast can be found to supplement live stats.
-    Be sure to check GoCamels.com for recaps, notes and video interviews with head coach Drew Peterson and student-athletes following each game.
-    Check out the Campbell Softball team's Facebook page at Facebook.com/GoCamelsSB.

Schedule Changes    
-    Campbell will host South Carolina on Mar. 19 at 6 p.m. The game was originally scheduled to be played in Columbia, but work progress on the Gamecocks stadium forced the site change.
-    It will be just the second time in program history that the Camels have hosted an SEC-foe, last occurring in 2004 vs. South Carolina.
-    Rain has already effected six games - Northwestern (2/15), Akron (2/12), Kennesaw St. (2/12), Virginia Tech (2/13), N.C. Central-2x (2/26)
-    The Camels have added a DH vs. Charlotte on Mar. 13 beginning at 4 p.m., originally scheduled as a single game.
-    Mar. 25 is the makeup date for a DH at N.C. Central.

Record Setting 8-2 Start    
-    For the first time in program history, the Camels began the season with five victories.
-    The 10-2 six-inning win over Middle Tennessee set a record for the most victories before the first loss in the program's 28-year history.
-    Campbell tied its best 10-game start at 8-2 with a 9-7 win over Youngstown State. It was done previously by the 1994 team, which started 11-2.

Powerful Offense    
-    The Camels have posted four run-rule victories this year against Virginia (8-0, 5), St. Bonaventure (9-0, 5). George Washington (11-1, 5) and Middle Tennessee (10-2, 6).
-    The team has compiled a .323 batting avg. and .531 slugging and .416 on-base pct.
-    Twenty home runs,15 doubles and six triples have been hit by the squad.
-    Campbell has produced 95 runs, driving in 86 of those with solid base knocks.
-    The tandem of Ericka Nesbitt and Stephanie Jones pace the offense with .538 and .509 batting avg., respectively.
-    Stephanie Jones (.849), Raven Lee (.711), Courtney Klingler (.688), Sarah Forgacs (.638) and Ericka Nesbitt (.596) have each posted impressive slugging numbers.
-    Campbell has totaled 5.9 runs on 8.4 hits per game.

Jones Named Big South POTW    
-    Stephanie Jones was named to the Bank of Hawaii Invitational All-Tournament team along with Ericka Nesbitt.
-    Jones posted a .684 batting avg. and 1.158 slugging pct as the Camels went 1-4.
-    She went 13-of-19 at the plate with five multi-hit games, while registering three doubles, two home runs and seven RBI.
-    The highlight was a personal-best 4-for-4 performance vs. Western Kentucky on Mar. 3, including a two-run homer.
-    Second Big South honor this season for Campbell with Lee being recognized following the Hampton Inn Invitational on Feb. 10.

Nesbitt's 26-Game Reached Base Streak    
-    Ericka Nesbitt was the toughest Camel to get out in Hawaii, earning a hit in 13-of-18 appearances as a team's leadoff hitter and also drawing three walks for a .762 on-base pct.
-    Dating back to last season, she has taken first base in 26-straight games.
-    A 20-game hitting streak was snapped against Bowling Green on Feb. 24.
-    During the hitting streak, Nesbitt compiled a .522 batting, .580 slugging and .539 on-base pct. and swiped six bases.

TAKING A LOOK AT THE OPPONENTS:

Drexel Dragons (5-10)
Scouting Report: Drexel is 5-10 on the campaign, picking up wins against Marshall (4-3), George Washington (3-2) and Rider  (8-0, 8-0). Pacing the Dragons offense is Jess O'Hara registering a .306 avg. and driving in six runs. Ellen Scott has recorded on four the team's 15 extra-base hits. Drexel has posted a .226 batting avg. and .265 slugging and .289 on-base pct. The pitching staff is led by Shelby Taylor with a 3-4 mark and 27 strikeouts in 36.1 innings logged. Tara Konopka has registered a 2-6 mark in  a team-best 43.0 frames worked. Head coach Miranda Ervin is in her first season leading the Dragon's program.
Series History: Campbell has an all-time mark of 3-0 against Drexel. The Camels took a home victory, 10-7 back in 2001 in the Hampton Inn Invitational. The programs met twice on neutral sites in 2008 with the Camels taking an 8-3 win in Stateboro and an 8-5 victory in Santa Clara Calif.

Morehead State Eagles  (2-5)
Scouting Report: The Eagles are 2-5 so far this season with victories over Binghamton (2-1) and  UMBC (7-1), while falling to UConn (4-6 (8)), FIU (6-3, 6-5), Gardner-Webb (9-5) and UMBC (7-4).Morehead State is paced offensively by a trio of hitters batting over .380 in Amber Riddle (.389), Elizabeth Wagner (.381) and Kayla Ashbrook (.381). Riddle has driven in a team-high five runs along with two homers, while Anna Sommer as totaled three doubles. The team has posted a .274 batting and .395 slugging and .355 on-base pct. In the circle, Katie Pfost has logged 24.2 innings and 22 strikeouts for a 3.12 ERA and 2-2 record. Tossing 15.2 inning with a 3.13 ERA is Kelcey McMurray, who has fanned 8 opposing hitters. Head coach David Williams is in his second season guiding the Eagles Program
Series History: The lone meeting between Morehead State and Campbell occurred in 2007 with the Camels notching a 2-0 eight-inning victory in Greensboro, N.C.

Norfolk State Spartans  (4-8)
Scouting Report: The Tigers have started the campaign with a 4-7 mark, grabbing wins against N.C. Central (8-4), Fairleigh Dickinson (5-1), Army (8-6) and Marist (8-6). The Spartans are paced offensively by Chelsea Davis, Liz Riley and Whitney Williams with .400, .391 and .375 batting avg., respectively. The leading run producer is Kathy Cortez, who has tallied nine RBI. Alina Moriarty and Davis have connected on home run. The team has compiled a .284 batting and .343 slugging and .337 on-base pct. The Spartans are led in the circle by Julie Schulle with a 4-6 mark on the campaign and 38 strikeouts in 44.0 innings of work. The team has posted a 5.50 ERA with Liz Riley tossing 29.1 frames. Head coach Heidi Cavallo is in her third season at the helm of the Norfolk State program.
Series History: Campbell won 4-3 and 11-0 in five innings during the 2009 campaign in Charleston, S.C.

Northern Kentucky Norse  (4-10)
Scouting Report: The Norse have notched victories over Toledo (6-2), N.C. Central (8-1), Niagara (2-1) and Central Arkansas (7-6) so far this season. Michelle Carson (.308) and Nicolette Hayes (.300) have led the Northern Kentucky offense. Kately Roy, Dee Dee Davis, Kaylin Steinmetz and Emily Schwabble have each blasted two home runs for the squad. The team-leader in RBI is Davis with nine. The Norse have registered 13 doubles and one triple to post a .334 slugging pct. The team has a .203 batting avg. and .285 on-base pct. Northern Kentucky has a team ERA of 4.86 led by Kelley Benhase (4-4) with 28 strikeouts in 46.1 innings. Emily Schwaeble has logged 28 strikeouts in 39.0 innings of work. Head coach Kathy Stewart has guided the Western Kentucky program over the past 15 seasons.
Series History: First meeting between the two programs.