FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Campbell starter Cam Cowan and reliever Brendan Wright combined to shut out the Army Black Knights, 5-0, in the Armed Forces Invitational opener on Friday night at Segra Stadium.
For the third consecutive Friday night this season, Cowan (1-2) got the starting nod for the Camels, scattering eight strikeouts across his seven innings on the mound. He only issued one walk and allowed just two hits, earning his first victory of the season.
Wright went the final two innings, dealing a pair of scoreless frames against nine batters. After allowing two hits to the first two batters in the ninth, he worked a pair of flyouts and a strikeout to even Campbell's overall record at 4-4.
Army's Anthony Loricco (0-1) was saddled with the loss despite striking out a career-high 12 batters in the first 7.2 innings; he was responsible for two of the four earned runs in the eighth.
After both Campbell and Army were held scoreless in the first seven innings, the Fighting Camels pushed across four runs in the top of the eighth, all with two outs. Campbell added its fifth run in the ninth on a bases-loaded hit by pitch.
In Campbell's half of the eight, Marcus Skundrich, Cruz Aranda and Spencer Packard drew two-out walks, loading the bases for lead-off batter Waldy Arias, who also reached on four balls, pushing across the first run of the game.
One batter later, Collin Wolf placed a single just over the outstretched glove of the Army second baseman, bringing around Aranda and Packard. Campbell scored its fourth run of the frame when Wolf, who was on first base, broke for second base, forcing Army's pitcher to run at him while Arias scurried home from third base before Wolf was tagged out.
Grant Harris scored Campbell's fifth run in the ninth when Skundrich was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Aranda and Wolf had Campbell's two hits in the win, with Aranda reaching on a two-out bunt single in the top of the third while Wolf had the two-out, two-run single in the top of the eighth.
Arias reached in all four of his plate appearances, drawing three walks and one hit by pitch, upping his season on-base percentage to an even .500, which leads the team.
Up Next for the Camels
Campbell continues play in the Armed Forces Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 29, facing the Air Force Falcons for a 1 p.m. first pitch at Segra Stadium. The Camels will cap off the weekend by competing against both Army and Air Force again on Sunday, Mar. 1, first playing the Black Knights at 11 a.m. and then the Falcons at 3 p.m.
Tickets and additional event information can be found on the official Armed Forces Invitational page on the Fayetteville Woodpeckers website.
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