BUIES CREEK, N.C. — The Campbell bullpen kept Purdue from scoring over the final six innings, but the Boilermakers scored six runs over the first three innings, defeating the Fighting Camels, 6-3, on Friday night at Jim Perry Stadium.
In the opening game of the Campbell Invitational, redshirt-freshman Brendan Wright tossed 4.1 scoreless innings in relief after appearing in the top of the third. The native of Holly Springs, N.C., struck out four of the 14 batters he faced, conceding just two hits and no walks.
Senior righty Jack Yusko went the final two innings, limiting the Boilermakers to no runs, as well, despite issuing three walks; he did strike out one batter. Campbell starter Cam Cowan (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing six earned runs in the first 2.2 innings while striking out five batters.
Purdue's Trent Johnson (1-0) earned the win, limiting the Camels to just two hits while striking out three in six innings on the mound. Reliever Bo Hofstra collected his third save in Purdue's first five games, holding Campbell to no hits and no walks over the final 2.2 innings.
Campbell senior Matthew Christian hit his second home run of 2020 in the setback, launching a solo dinger in the second inning. The Opelika, Ala., native was the lone Camel to log a multi-hit outing, finishing the night 2-for-4 at the plate.
Grant Harris also went yard, hitting a two-run long ball, good for his first of the season. A.J. Hrica was the other Camel to record an extra-base hit, ripping a double, while Collin Wolf rounded out Campbell's five hits with a single.
In a game that pit former Campbell baseball head coach Greg Goff (2008-14) against his former assistant and current head coach of the Camels, Justin Haire, Purdue was the first to get on the board.
The Boilermakers scored in the first inning on a two-out, solo home run by Zac Fascia, before tacking on another run in the second on a one-out RBI single from Evan Albrecht.
Campbell did get a run back in the bottom of the second when Christian launched a 2-2 pitch just over the left-field wall, trimming Purdue's lead to one, 2-1; however, Purdue's lead ballooned to five, 6-1, after a four-run top of the third that featured a couple of singles, hit by pitches and walks issued by Cowan.
Wright relieved Cowan with runners on the corners and two gone, but the runner on first base was erased for the final out when Campbell backstop Marcus Skundrich threw him out trying to stealing second. Wright stayed in to pitch the next four innings, retiring 12 of the 14 batters he faced.
In the bottom of the seventh, Christian collected his second hit of the evening with a one-out single into left field. He scored two pitches later when Harris crushed a two-run home run over The Hump beyond the right-field fence, cutting Purdue's lead in half again, 6-3.
Skundrich kept the inning going by drawing a four-pitch walk; he moved over to third base on a Hrica's double down the right-field line. Waldy Arias pushed Skundrich across with an RBI groundout, and Hrica advanced to third, but a lineout ended the inning.
Trailing Purdue by two, 6-4, Campbell brought out rookie righty Lawson Harrill to make his Campbell debut, but he hit the first batter he faced and fell behind 2-0 to the next batter, Albrecht, so Yusko was called out from the bullpen.
Yusko worked back to punch out Albrecht, while Skundrich threw out his second base runner of the game on the play, placing two outs on the board. A flyout to center field ended the inning, keeping Purdue off the scoreboard for the fifth-straight inning.
The Camels were unable to reach in the eighth and ninth innings against Hofstra, ultimately suffering their third loss of the season, 6-4.
Up Next for the Camels
Campbell continues play in the Campbell Invitational by facing Villanova on Saturday at 6 p.m. after a pair of games that morning and evening. Maine and Villanova will open play on Saturday with a 10 a.m. game before Purdue and Maine square off at 2 p.m.
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