BUIES CREEK, N.C. — NC Central committed six errors but Campbell left 13 runners on base as the Eagles handed the Camels a 7-4 loss on Wednesday night at Jim Perry Stadium.
Matthew Barefoot (2-for-3, 3B, 2 R) logged his sixth multi-hit outing with a triple and a single. Collin Wolf (1-for-4, 2B, RBI) had Campbell's other extra-base hit, a double; three other Camels – Grant Harris (1-for-4, BB), AJ Hrica (1-for-4) and Zach Minnick (1-for-4, RBI) – had a single to round out the CU offense.
Chris Krennrich (1-1) collected the win, tossing 1.2 innings and striking out three batters, while Ryan Decker earned the save, closing out the game in the ninth by getting the final two outs.
Campbell righty Jack Yusko (0-1) took the loss, allowing NC Central's go-ahead run in the eighth inning. The junior tossed 0.1 innings and allowed two runs, one earned.
The Camels were hit by four pitches, bringing their season total to 34, which leads the Big South. Also, a double steal by Barefoot and Hrica in the third inning moved CU's stolen base total to 36, which is also tops among Big South members.
Campbell (8-8) opened the scoring in the fourth. Tyler Anshaw (0-for-3, HBP, R) led off the frame with a hit by pitch before Barefoot drew a five-pitch walk. One batter later, Hrica laid down a sacrifice bunt that rolled down the third base line, an errant throw allowed him to reach, which also allowed Barefoot to advance to third and Anshaw to score. Luis Gimenez (0-for-3, RBI) plated Barefoot by way of a sacrifice fly, putting Campbell ahead 2-0.
NC Central (7-10) earned its first lead in the fourth, 3-2. A bases-loaded RBI single into left put the Eagles on the board before a pair of sacrifice flies into centerfield tied and then pushed them ahead.
NCCU added another run in the sixth by way of a two-out, RBI double, but the Camels responded with a run in their half of the sixth and seventh to tie and then retake the lead, 5-4.
Wolf led off the sixth with a stand-up double down the left field line. Just two pitches later, he scored on Minnick's RBI single into right field. In the seventh, Barefoot got the inning started with a triple into left center. Consecutive fielding errors by the Eagles loaded the bases for Wolf who delivered a deep fly ball to centerfield for a sacrifice fly as Barefoot trotted home from third.
A one-out RBI single and a two-out, bases-loaded walk in the top of the eighth gave NC Central its 6-4 lead. The Camels left a runner stranded on third in the eighth and left the bases loaded in the ninth.
Up next, the Camels hit the road as Campbell begins conference play at High Point. The three-game Big South series is set for Friday through Sunday, March 15-17 in High Point, N.C.
