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CHARLESTON, S.C. – Campbell rallied for two runs in the eighth and held on to top Charleston Southern 5-4 Thursday night in the Big South opener for both teams.
Campbell won its sixth in a row on the season, improving to 13-10 overall and 1-0 in Big South play, while CSU dipped to 10-12 and 0-1.
The Camels trailed 4-3 heading to the eighth before loading the bases with no outs on a Jimmy Monaghan walk. Zack Minnick four pitches for another walk, pushing the tying run home. Adam Wyse hit into a double play to follow, but Matt Parrish scored, giving Campbell the 5-4 lead.
Erik Dowse pitched the final two frames, leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth with a pop out to short.
Michael Horrell (3-2) picked up the win in relief, allowing a run on four hits with two strikeouts and a walk in three innings. Dowse earned the save, hit second, going two scoreless innings with three strikeouts and four walks.
CU starter Wes Noble worked four innings with three runs on four hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
Alex Ministeri (1-2) took the loss, allowing two runs on a hit with a walk. CSU starter Evan Raynor pitched seven innings, allowing three runs on four hits with nine punchouts and a walk. Chayce Hubbard tossed the final two innings, striking out two and walking one.
Campbell took the early 3-0 lead in the top of the second on Ben Calvano's three-run home run, turning on a 0-2 pitch for his first extra-base hit of the season.
Mason McClellan's leadoff homer in the bottom of the inning put the Buccaneers on the board, and a Campbell error allowed a second run to score in the third.
In the fifth, Bryan Dye's sacrifice fly tied it up, and Ryan Maksim followed with a RBI single, making it 4-3 CSU.
Campbell's five hits came from five difference Camels, including Calvano's homer, Minnick (14) and Parrish (12) both extended their hitting streaks in the win.
Dye drove in two for the Buccaneers, while Sly Edwards went 2-for-5, scoring twice.
Game two of the series is set for 1 p.m. Friday, moving up in the schedule due to rain in the forecast. Saturday's finale remains a 2 p.m. start.
Campbell returns home Wednesday, March 30, hosting UNC Greensboro. For tickets to all Campbell home games, please visit GoCamels.com.
