CHARLESTON, S.C. – Campbell softball split Saturday's twinbill against Charleston Southern, winning game one 5-4 and dropping the second game 4-1. Game three of the series will take place Sunday at 1 p.m.
Game one: Campbell 5, Charleston Southern 4
Melissa Tullar recorded three RBIs, including a 2-RBI double in the third inning, to boost Campbell to its 18th win of the year, 5-4, over Charleston Southern.
Campbell jumped out to a swift start, garnering a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. The first two batters reached, as Katie Baker drew a walk and Amber Schisler doubled to left field. Tullar hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Baker to score and Caroline Smith sent the two out offering back up the middle scoring Schisler.
The Fighting Camels scored a pair of runs in the top of the third to extend their lead to four runs, 4-0. Tullar added to her RBI total as she hit a two out double down the left field line, which plated Schisler and Rachel McCollum. The Buccaneers added three runs in the bottom half of the third to draw within one run, 4-3. Brooke McPherson connected on a three-run home run to left field, sixth home run of the year.
Campbell was able to extend its lead to two runs as Lizabeth McCurry hit a solo home run to right field, her fifth home run of the season. She also extended her hitting streak to four games for Campbell. The Orange and Black limited CSU to one hit for the next two innings, before a fielding error scored one for the home side. Neither team registered a base runner in the seventh inning as Campbell shutdown Charleston Southern to hold on for the 5-4 victory.
Baker earned the win in the circle, her sixth of the year. She pitched four innings, gave up three hits and struck out four batters. Haley Elkins took the loss, as she gave up all five runs in three innings of work.
Game two: Campbell 1, Charleston Southern 4
A three-run fifth inning allowed Charleston Southern to escape with a 4-1 victory against Campbell in game two of Saturday's Big South doubleheader.
Campbell's lone run came in the top of the second inning. Bailey Bjorson hit a sacrifice fly to left field,, which scored McCurry from third and moved Madison Casto to second base. The Fighting Camels' one-run lead stayed in tact until the bottom of the third inning when the Buccaneers scored one run of their own. A fielding error by the Campbell second baseman allowed Amanda Matsumoto to score from second base.
The contest remained knotted at 1-1 until the bottom of the fifth inning when Charleston Southern scored three unearned runs. Matsumoto bunted her way aboard, but a throwing error allowed the runner from third place to score, giving CSU a 2-1 lead. Two more runs scored when Stephanie Bergmann doubled to right centerfield. She scored after the throw from the outfield left the field of play, allowing her to advance home.
Courtney Roberts was tabbed with the loss, her sixth of the year, going two innings, allowing three runs. Arizona Pilgrim earned the win in four innings of work, yielding four hits and no runs.
Campbell and Charleston Southern square off for game three of the series, Sunday at 1 p.m.
