BUIES CREEK, N.C. - Campbell (1-1) opened its 2021 season by splitting a doubleheader, losing to #12/12 Kentucky 11-3, and defeating Mount St. Mary's, 5-0 this evening.
Campbell moves to 1-1 on the year while Kentucky advanced to 7-0. Mount St. Mary's moves to 1-1 on the season after the loss to Campbell.
Game One - Kentucky 11, Campbell 3
The Camels struck early, as Bri Bryant smacked an RBI double into left center, bringing in Claudia Ware for a 1-0, lead in the first inning.
Kentucky was quick to respond in the second as they put up two runs of their own, as Kayla Kowalik ripped a ball through the right side of the infield for 2 RBIs.
Through six innings, the Camels were able to keep it close only trailing by three runs, 4-1. However, the Kentucky bats got hot posting seven runs in the final frame. After starting Campbell pitcher Kayla Howald worked the bases loaded with one out, Kentucky's Miranda Stoddard stepped up and knocked a grand-slam over the left field wall making it 8-1, in favor of Kentucky.
This was followed up by a solo shot by Grace Baalman over the same left field wall. The Wildcats would tack on two more in the inning to put the game out of reach, despite two runs from the Camels in the bottom of the seventh off a one-out two-RBI single from Sterling Hairston.
A strikeout and ground out to third would end any hope of a rally ending the game 11-3, as the Camels dropped the season opener.
Kayla Howald (0-1) took the loss after throwing six and third innings giving up eight earned runs on nine hits with two strikeouts. Kentucky's Miranda Stoddard (1-0) earned her first win of the season pitching five innings giving up one earned run on three hits with three strikeouts.
Game Two - Campbell 5, Mount St. Mary's 0
Campbell would lean on the strong pitching of Megan Richards (1-0) who was dominant pitching a complete game shutout only giving up five hits while striking out seven.
The Camels would start fast again in the first as Destini England showed impressive baserunning to find her way around. The redshirt senior, showed off her speed making her way from first to third on a routine groundout to the Mount St. Mary's shortstop, before sliding to beat the throw back from the Mount's first baseman.
Bri Bryant would bring England home as she grounded out to the pitcher and England would advance on the throw for the run putting the Camels up 1-0.
Unlike the first game, insurance runs would come quickly as Noemi Cortez doubled to left field to score two in the second.
In the third, Claudia Ware would leg out a triple after hitting a massive shot to left center before being brought in by Bri Bryant for her second RBI of the game putting the score at 4-0 in favor of the Camels.
The duo would do it again in the fifth, as Ware would triple off the wall before Bryant would notch another RBI as she hit a sac fly out to center pushing the lead to five.
The defense had the last note on the game as catcher Morgan Rios caught a Mount St. Mary's runner stealing after Megan Richards got her seventh strikeout to end the game.
The Mount's Avery Newuhart (0-1), picks up the loss after throwing for five innings giving up five earned runs off six hits and striking out three.
Up Next
Campbell returns to action tomorrow in the Campbell Invitational with games against Mount St. Mary's at 3:00 p.m. and N.C. Central at 5:30 p.m.
