BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The Fighting Camels won two games of a Saturday doubleheader to complete the weekend sweep of the Fairfield Stags at Jim Perry Stadium. Campbell took the first game of the twin bill 11-6 before defeating Fairfield 6-3 in the series finale.
Campbell improved to 8-3 on the season, while Fairfield dropped to 0-6.
GAME ONE – Campbell 11, Fairfield 6
The Camels pieced together 18 hits in the game-one victory. Seven Campbell players logged multi-hit outings, highlighted by Collin Wolf (4-for-4, 2 RBI) who recorded Campbell's first four-hit performance of 2019. The four-hit outing is the first by a Fighting Camel since March 14, 2018, when Christian Jones also went 4-for-4 against Rider.
Campbell shortstop Luis Gimenez (3-for-5, 3 RBI) drove in three runs and finished a home run shy of the cycle. Campbell entered the game without a triple this season, but three Camels – Gimenez, Brock Bell (2-for-4, 3B, RBI) and Tyler Anshaw (3-for-5, 3B, 3 R) – recorded a triple in the win.
Freshman left-hander Ryan Chasse (2-0) earned the win, tossing 6.0 innings with two earned runs for his first career quality start as a Fighting Camel. A native of Apex, N.C., Chasse tallied three strikeouts and allowed eight hits to the Stags.
Fairfield's starter Trey McLoughlin took the loss, allowing five earned runs on 11 hits and one walk.
Fairfield got on the board first by way of a misfielded groundball by Anshaw at third base, which allowed the first run of the game to score. Campbell responded right back in its half of the second as Grant Harris (2-for-3, RBI) drove in Anshaw with a single through the right side.
The Camels took their first lead in the third when Bell launched a triple to left field, scoring Wolf from first. The Stags added two unearned runs in the fourth to retake the lead, 3-2.
Campbell put up a four-spot in the fourth as Anshaw led off the frame with a triple into right center. He scored one batter later as Marcus Skundrich (1-for-2, RBI) plated him with an RBI single to right. A Wolf double, Gimenez triple and a perfectly executed delayed, double steal helped CU regain the lead and then some, 6-3.
Fairfield scored two more unearned runs in the top of the fifth to pull back within one, 6-5; however, Campbell widened its lead to 11-5 with three runs in the bottom of the fifth before scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh.
GAME TWO – Campbell 6, Fairfield 3
Despite being held hitless through the first six innings, the Fighting Camels scored all six of their runs in the bottom of the seventh to defeat Fairfield in the series finale 6-3 and complete the sweep of the Stags.
The reigning Big South Reliever of the Week Landry Moore (3-0) was credited with the win, tossing 1.2 innings when the Camels took the lead. Campbell closer Tyson Messer picked up his first save of the year as he struck out the side in the ninth.
Ian Halpin (0-2) was the losing pitcher, surrendering Fairfield's lead in the seventh by allowing four runs – all earned – with three hits. Starter Michael Sansone tossed 6.0 frames and allowed just one hit, while striking out six and walking none.
Matthew Christian (2-for-4, RBI) led the Camels offensively, earning his third multi-hit performance with a pair of singles, which included an RBI base hit. Senior Zach Minnick (1-for-2, R, 3B) had his lone hit in the sixth, a triple off the right-center fence. The triple broke up Sansone's no-hit bit after he sat the Camels down in order over his first 5.1 innings on the mound.
The Camels went to Moore in the seventh after a hit by pitch, single and a walk loaded the bases full of Stags with one away. The sidearm slinger got the second out by forcing a groundball to the first baseman Christian that helped get the force-out at home. However, Fairfield's top slugger Anthony Boselli (2-for-5, 2B) doubled to left center, scoring two. The Stags added another run with an RBI single one batter later.
Halpin came in to pitch for Sansone in the seventh. He allowed a leadoff walk to Collin Wolf (0-for-3, BB), fielder's choice to Luis Gimenez (0-for-4, R), single to Brock Bell (1-for-3), RBI single to Tyler Anshaw (1-for-3, RBI, BB) and then an RBI single to Christian before being pulled with Fairfield's lead still intact, 3-2.
AJ Hrica (0-for-3, RBI) tied the game at 3-3 with a sac fly into centerfield, scoring the pinch runner Waldy Arias from third. Minnick was hit by a pitch before Grant Harris (1-for-2, 3 RBI, HR) launched a 3-run home run to right field to put the Camels ahead, 6-3.
Moore pitched a scoreless frame in the eighth before Messer came in the ninth, striking out the first batter looking before recording two consecutive looking strikeouts to secure the sweep.
UP NEXT
The Camels are set to embark on a five-game road stretch in Virginia, beginning with a midweek matchup at Old Dominion on Tuesday, Mar. 5. Campbell will then travel to William & Mary for its first weekend road series of the year. The weekend tilt begins Friday with a 4 p.m. first pitch.
