BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The Camels split against Bucknell on day one of the Campbell Invitational on Thursday at Amanda Littlejohn Stadium. CU lost the first game, 7-3, and emerged victorious in game two, 3-1.
The Camels now hold a record of 4-3, while the Bison started off the season with a record of 1-1.
Game one: Bucknell 7, Campbell 3
Haydn Parker gave Campbell a 1-0 lead in the second inning off a home run to left field, her first career long ball.
Bucknell tied it up in the third inning, as Lauren
Hadley singled up the middle to score Ryanne
Rokos. Meghan Kovac and Anna Gimmestad each tacked on a run in the fourth inning to give the Bison a 3-1 lead.
In the sixth inning, the Bison poured on three runs to give Bucknell a 7-1 lead with just two innings to play.
Kovac got things started with a double through the right side and scored three plays later off an error by the Campbell defense. A single by Taylor Wolfgang brought home Marisa Alemany for the fifth run of the game and a Paulina Gutkin single scored two Bison to end the scoring frenzy.
CU attempted a late inning rally in the seventh, as the Camels cut Bucknell's lead to four runs with one out remaining.
Caroline Smith hit a two-run shot to center field to bring home
Katie Manring and halve the Bison's lead.
Megan Mozingo got on base with a single to left center field, but a groundout by
Melissa Tullar ended the comeback effort.
Raeanne Geffert (1-0) picked up her first victory of the 2018 campaign after pitching a complete game with six strikeouts, while only allowing six hits.
Megan Richards (3-1) was charged with the loss after conceding 10 hits across seven innings of play.
Game two: Campbell 3, Bucknell 1
Bucknell was the first on the board after a homer to left field by Kovac gave the Bison a 1-0 lead in the first inning of play.
Campbell was held scoreless until the fifth inning, when it tacked on two runs to take a 2-1 lead.
Cassie Wancheck got things started with a single to get on base and pinch runner
Hannah McCravy was brought home via a fielder's choice to third base.
Madison Herring added on another run on the next play, as she scored off of a groundout by
Lizabeth McCurry.
In the sixth inning, CU added on an additional run to bring the game to the final score of 3-1.
Abby Perryman got on base with a single down the left field line for her first hit of the season and was brought home off a single by Herring. Campbell threatened to break the game open with two runners in scoring position, but a lineout to the shortstop ended the scoring chance.
Haley Hutchins (1-1) picked up the win for the Camels, holding the Bison to four hits and one run across six innings of play. Richards picked up a save, as she entered the game in relief in the seventh inning to secure the win for CU.
Lauren Lichtenwalner (0-1) was tabbed with the loss, allowing six hits and three runs in six innings, while only striking out one batter.
Up next
The Camels will return to continue competition in the Campbell Invitational on Friday at 2 p.m. versus Northern Kentucky. For the latest information on Campbell softball, make sure to follow
@GoCamelsSB on Twitter.
