ROCK HILL, S.C. — Two of the top teams in the Big South Conference – Campbell and Winthrop – split a Friday afternoon doubleheader at Winthrop Ballpark as Winthrop took Game 1, 5-4 before Campbell won Game 2 by the same score, 5-4.
GAME ONE – Winthrop 5, Campbell 4
Winthrop's Alex Raines hit a go-ahead, solo home run in the bottom of the seventh to lift the Winthrop Eagles to a 5-4 win in Game 1.
After allowing a two-out, two-run double in the third that tied the game at 4-4, Campbell starter Michael Horrell (7-3) retired 10 of the next 12 batters he faced, allowing just two singles over the next 3.2 innings. He returned to pitch the bottom of the seventh and struck out the first batter, but the next batter, Raines hit a solo home run to left field to give the Eagles back the lead, 5-4.
The Fighting Camels were only able to squeeze out two singles over the final two innings, leaving a pair stranded in the eighth, before going down in order in the final frame.
Horrell gave up five earned runs, suffering just his third loss of the season, falling to 7-3 overall. Despite allowing a season-high 13 hits, the senior righty allowed no walks with four strikeouts over his 6.2 innings of work. Redshirt-junior Jonathan Tyler went the final 1.1 innings and gave up no hits with just one walk.
Right-hander Dalton Whitaker (3-1) was credited with the win, throwing 1.2 scoreless frames in relief; he tallied two strikeouts and one walk and gave up three hits.
Both Matthew Barefoot and AJ Hrica went 2-for-4 in the series opener. Barefoot had a single and a double, his 11th two-bagger of the season, while Hrica added a pair of singles.
Matthew Christian registered Campbell's other extra-base hit, a double, while Koby Collins, Luis Gimenez and Zach Minnick each had a single to round out CU's nine hits.
Winthrop scored two in the bottom of the second on a pair of two-out RBI singles, but the Camels poured in three in the top of the third to take the lead, 3-2.
Christian ripped a one-out double down the left-field line to get Campbell's three-run inning started. Hrica followed with a single to the shortstop, moving Christian to third, and one pitch later, Christian scored on Barefoot's RBI single to the third baseman.
Head coach Justin Haire put Hrica and Christian in motion with Wolf at the plate, and the Camels executed a successful hit-and-run. Wolf grounded out to the shortstop, allowing Hrica and Barefoot to move into scoring position. Campbell took its first lead, 3-2 when Gimenez hit a groundball to the second baseman that bounced off his glove, which allowed Hrica and Barefoot to score.
In the top of the fifth, Christian was plunked by a pitch before a passed ball moved him into scoring position at second base. He later scored on a Gimenez two-out RBI single, knotting the score at four apiece.
The go-ahead home run off the bat of Raines proved to be the difference maker as Campbell's bats went scoreless over the final six frames. Colten Rendon closed out the game, striking out one over his 1.1 innings on the mound.
GAME TWO – Campbell 5, Winthrop 4
Tyler Anshaw went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run, a double and a single, to lead the Camels to a 5-4, series-evening victory in the second game of the afternoon. The senior from Port St. Lucie, Fla., became the first Camel to log four three-hit outings so far this season.
Senior left-hander Phil Simpson (1-2) earned the win, throwing four scoreless innings in relief while striking out three and giving up just three hits. A native of Holly Springs, N.C., Simpson did not issue a walk to any of the 13 batters he faced.
Lillington, N.C. native Tyson Messer entered the game in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and two runners on. He issued a walk to the first batter he faced, but got the final out of the game by way of a swinging strikeout, picking up his fourth save this season.
Nate Pawelczyk took the loss for Winthrop, allowing five earned runs on eight hits and four walks.
Senior Luis Gimenez also launched a home run, a solo shot in the top of the first, while Matthew Barefoot notched another multi-hit game with two singles. Koby Collins and Grant Harris each had a hit and an RBI in the win; Marcus Skundrich also collected a base hit as Campbell finished the night with 10 knocks.
Gimenez' solo dinger in the opening frame put the Camels ahead 1-0 early, but the Eagles responded with two runs in the bottom half to go ahead by one, 2-1.
In the top of third, Campbell tied the score at 2-2 as Collins scored Anshaw on a two-out RBI single. Again, Winthrop answered with two runs in its half, retaking a 4-2 lead.
In the top of the fourth, Barefoot kept the inning alive with a two-out single into shallow left field, which brought Anshaw to the plate. Anshaw lifted the first pitch he saw over the right-field wall for a two-out, two-run home run, tying the game again, 4-4.
Packard led off the top of the fifth with a double down the right-field line before advancing to third on Collin Wolf's deep fly ball to center field. Collins drew a walk to put Camels on the corners for Harris, who hit a sacrifice fly to center field to send Packard home, earning the Camels a one-run lead, 5-4.
Simpson, Logan Heintzman and Messer combined to shut out the Eagles over the final six innings, giving up just four hits, while striking out six.
Saturday's rubber match between the Fighting Camels and Eagles is set for May 10 at 3 p.m. at the Winthrop Ballpark.
