BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell earned a split of Saturday's Big South doubleheader against Presbyterian College, dropping game one 7-5 and earning the 2-0 victory in game two.
Prior to the start of the doubleheader, both teams held a moment of silence to honor those that are battling and have battled breast cancer. The team donned pink uniforms for both games on the afternoon and accepted donations to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
Game one: Campbell 5, Presbyterian 7
Rachel McCollum hit a pair of solo home runs for the Fighting Camels in the 7-5 loss against Presbyterian College. Katie Baker also hit a solo home run, the first long ball of the season for the junior pitcher.
The Blue Hose wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, after Erin Ruff doubled and Kelsie Sanchez singled, Hope Rogers connected on a three-run home run. They added two more in the top of the second inning, to take a 5-0 advantage against Campbell.
The Fighting Camels slowly began their comeback in the bottom of the fourth inning as Rachel McCollum hit her eighth home run of the season, a solo shot over the right centerfield wall. Trailing 5-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Campbell's Baker singled to left field, scoring Karsen Leonhardt from second base.
Campbell limited Presbyterian to one hit in the bottom of the sixth, before scoring two more runs to trim the deficit to 5-4. To begin the inning, McCollum hit her second solo home run of the game, taking a 3-2 pitch beyond the center field wall. Four batters later, Melissa Tullar connected on a RBI double to right field, scoring DuBoise from second base.
The comeback was halted in the top of the seventh as Presbyterian scored twice, including a solo home run from Rogers. In the bottom half, Baker hit her first home run of the season, to trim the PC lead to 7-5, but Campbell was unable to get any closer, dropping the first game of the doubleheader.
Baker took the loss in the circle, her eighth of the season, going 6 1/3 innings, striking out five batters. Sydney Seigler went the distance for her seventh win for the Blue Hose.
Game two: Campbell 2, Presbyterian 0
Karsen Leonhardt's RBI single in the bottom of the second and Courtney Roberts' complete game shutout powered Campbell to a 2-0 victory in game two of Saturday's doubleheader.
After a scoreless first inning, the Fighting Camels scored a pair of runs off the bat of Leonhardt, who singled to centerfield. Amber Schisler and Madison Casto both scored on the base hit, as Campbell took a 2-0 lead after the second inning.
After scoring twice in the bottom of the second, Campbell gained two more base runners throughout the remainder of the contest, a fielder's choice in the bottom of the fifth and a drawn walk in the bottom of the sixth. It was unable to add to its lead, but Roberts' pitching held the Blue Hose off the board.
Roberts pitched a complete game gem for the Fighting Camels, giving up only one hit and striking out three. It is her sixth win and third complete game on the season. The lone hit came in the top of the second inning, a single by Kersten Legacki.
After Legacki's hit, the Blue Hose only gained one more baserunner in the contest, a walk in the top of the sixth. Katie Brown went the distance for Presbyterian, giving up two runs on four hits and walking three batters.
Campbell returns to action for game three against Presbyterian at 1:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon inside Amanda Littlejohn Stadium. Following, they host East Carolina at 6 p.m. inside the friendly confines Tuesday evening.
