CONWAY, S.C. — Virginia Commonwealth scored six unearned runs on three Campbell errors to claim an 8-7 win over the Camels on Saturday afternoon of the Brittain Resorts Invitational.
VCU (0-1) struck first, scoring a run in the top of the first before Campbell (1-1) took the lead 2-1 in the bottom half and added another run to it in the second. Matthew Barefoot's leadoff double down the left field line sparked a two-run first inning for the Camels, while Collin Wolf's line drive home run padded CU's lead to two, 3-1.
The Rams scored one unearned run in the fourth, but the Camels responded with a three-run fifth to take a 6-3 lead. Barefoot again sparked the scoring with another hit down the left field line before Spencer Packard's two-out, 0-2 count base hit scored two. Luis Gimenez added the third run on a passed ball.
In the top of the sixth, the Rams produced five unearned runs on two hits, and a pair of Camel errors and passed balls, making it 8-6 VCU. Campbell's Dawson Pomeroy made his season debut on the mound, recording the final out of the sixth with a strikeout.
Between the sixth and eighth innings, the Camels were held to just two hits, leaving five runners on base. Pomeroy retired eight of the ten batters he faced, allowing no hits, while Barefoot pitched 0.2 scoreless innings to keep the 8-6 score intact heading into the ninth.
In the bottom of the ninth, AJ Hrica and Gimenez led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Packard's deep fly ball, which reached the warning track in centerfield, advanced Hrica to third before Zack Minnick bounced into an RBI fielder's choice, scoring Hrica, cutting the lead to one, 8-7. However, VCU's Mac McCarty, a preseason All-American, induced a game-ending double play to earn the Rams their first win of 2019.
Barefoot (2-for-5, 2B, 2 R), Packard (2-for-5, 2 RBI, 2 R) and Collin Wolf (2-for-2, HR) each had a pair of hits for the Camels. Wolf's multi-hit game is the second of his Camel career, while his long ball in the second inning was also his second in as many games.
Evan Chenier (1-0) earned the win for VCU, striking out three across three innings, while retiring the first eight batters he faced. McCarty picked up the save, going the final two innings and striking out one.
Junior Wyatt Tyson (0-1) took the loss, surrendering Campbell's lead in the fifth during his 0.2 innings on the mound; he struck out one batter. Freshman southpaw Ryan Chasse got the starting nod for CU, going four innings with six hits, two runs and three strikeouts in his Fighting Camel debut.
Campbell will face No. 12 Coastal Carolina on Sunday, Feb. 17 in the final game of the Brittain Resorts Invitational. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Springs Brooks Stadium.
