LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Campbell softball opened its 2016 season at the Troy Cox Classic Friday. In game one, the Fighting Camels fell to the Creighton Blue Jays 15-3 in five innings and in game two Western Michigan edged out Campbell, 4-3.
Game 1: Campbell 3, Creighton 15
Creighton scored eight runs in the bottom of the second inning to pull away from Campbell in the 2016 season opener. Katie Baker took the loss as she pitched 1 2/3 innings, yielding six earned runs.
Campbell gained the first two outs in the bottom of the second with runners on second and third, before Creighton was able to push across eight runs. Campbell answered back in the top of the third as Megan Mozingo pinch ran for Chandler Patterson who drew a walk in her at bat. Mozingo then stole second and advanced to third on a fielders choice.
Madison Herring earned an RBI after her single brought home Mozingo. Following Herring's at-bat, Amber Schisler delivered a two-run homerun, for Campbell's second and third run of the game. The Blue Jays answered the bottom half of the third as they scored seven runs in the inning. Neither team scratched the scoreboard after Creighton took its 15-3 lead.
Katie Baker took the opening game loss for Campbell and Sydnee Eck earned the victory for Creighton. Schisler went 1-for-3 in the contest with the homerun and 2 RBIs and Herring added another RBI during the third as well.
Game 2: Campbell 3, Western Michigan 4
Western Michigan used two solo homeruns in the bottom of the sixth inning to sneak by Campbell in game two of the Troy Cox Classic Friday afternoon.
The Fighting Camels struck first in the top of the third inning as Lizabeth McCurry hit her first homerun of the season. The homerun also scored Herring and DuBoise, giving Campbell a 3-0 lead.
Courtney Roberts continued her strong pitching performance into the fourth inning, limiting Western Michigan to only one hit. Abbey Stoner got on base with a single in the fourth and Kelsea Cichocki delivered a two-run homerun, closing Campbell's lead to one, 3-2. Roberts bounced back with a no-hit, four-batter inning in the bottom of the fifth.
Holding a one-run lead, Campbell yielded two solo homeruns in the bottom of the sixth inning and trailed 4-3 in the contest. The Fighting Camels were unable to tie the game in the top of seventh, as they fell in their second game of the day.
Despite a strong pitching performance, Roberts took the loss in six innings of work and Allyson Kus picked up the victory.
Campbell continues play in the Troy Cox Classic Saturday against Creighton at 11 a.m.EST and against host New Mexico State at 8 p.m.EST. Live stats are available as well as in-game updates via GoCamelsSB on Twitter.
