GREENVILLE, S.C. — The Furman Paladins scored six runs across the first four innings, and they had a seven-run sixth inning to defeat the Campbell Fighting Camels, 14-6, and even the weekend series at one game apiece on Saturday afternoon at Latham Stadium.
With the setback, Campbell dropped to 6-8 on the season while Furman improved to 7-8.
After collecting 12 hits in the series opener the night before, the Camels were held to just six hits in Game 2 as six Camels – Cruz Aranda, Waldy Arias, Matthew Christian, Koby Collins, Marcus Skundrich and Zach Williams – each had one hit.
Aranda ripped a lead-off double in the sixth inning, Christian had a three-run home run in the eighth, and both Arias and Williams had RBI singles. Christian's long ball was his team-leading third homer of the year while Williams moved his RBI total to a team-best 16.
Furman was led offensively by Jax Roper and Banks Griffith, who both had three-hit performances. Roper went 3-for-3 with two doubles and a home run while Griffith finished 3-for-5 with two doubles. The duo combined to drive in seven of Furman's 14 runs.
Campbell senior lefty Kevin Westlake (2-1) went 2.2 innings in his fourth start of 2020, allowing four earned runs on four hits and two walks to suffer his first loss of the season; he also struck out two batters.
Redshirt-freshman righty Brendan Wright was the first of four Campbell relievers to appear in the loss. He struck out two in his 2.2 innings of work while also allowing three earned runs. John VanderPloeg went the final two innings, striking out one, walking two and allowing one earned run.
Furman's junior right-handed pitcher John Michael Bertrand (3-1) earned his third victory of the season, limiting the Camels to just three base runners on two hit by pitches and a walk in his first five innings of work. He did not allow a base hit until Aranda's lead-off double in the sixth and finished the day with eight strikeouts.
Furman went ahead 4-0 after the first two innings after a two-out, two-run home run in the first and a one-out, two-run double in the second.
Wright replaced Westlake in the third inning with two Paladins in scoring position and two away. Wright hit the first batter he faced but got the next to pop out in foul territory to strand the bases loaded and keep the deficit at four runs.
The Paladins scored two more runs on another two-run home run in the fourth inning before Wright sat them down in order in the fifth inning.
Aranda collected Campbell's first hit of the game in the top of the sixth when he jumped on the first pitch of the frame for a lead-off double to left field; however, he was picked off a couple of pitches into Arias' at-bat for the first out.
Arias eventually drew a walk and moved over to second base when Collin Wolf hit into a fielder's choice that the shortstop made an errant throw on. Williams brought Arias around to score with an RBI single up the middle, pushing across Campbell's first run of the ballgame.
Furman used three walks, two singles, two doubles and a triple to score seven runs in the bottom of the sixth, taking a 12-run lead, 13-1.
The Camels scored two in the seventh inning to get back within 10. Arias hit a two-out RBI single to plate C.J. Peechatka before Skundrich scored when Wolf reached on an error by the second baseman.
The Paladins scored their 14th run in the bottom of the seventh on a two-out RBI single before Christian hit a three-run home run in the top of the eighth, bringing Campbell back to within single digits, 14-6.
VanderPloeg sat the Paladins down in order in the bottom of the eighth, but another scoreless frame by the Campbell bats in the top of ninth earned Furman the Game 2 victory.
Up Next for the Camels
Campbell and Furman will meet in the series finale on Sunday, Mar. 8, at Latham Stadium. First pitch of the rubber match is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Follow the Camels
For the most up-to-date information on Campbell baseball, follow @GoCamelsBSB on Twitter, follow @gocamelsbsb on Instagram, and follow Campbell Baseball on Facebook.
