BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell (1-0) opened its 2022 campaign with a 9-0 shutout victory over Appalachian State (0-1) Friday night at Jim Perry Stadium. The pitching duo of Thomas Harrington and Ryan Chasse combined to strike out 18 while allowing just three hits and issuing zero walks on the evening.
 
Harrington lived up to the preseason hype by fanning a career-high 13 batters across 6.0 innings of work to pick up the win. The sophomore struck out the side in both the third and sixth innings, and struck out at least one batter in each frame. Harrington finished with a sterling line of 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 13 K.
 
Chasse picked up right where Harrington left off, striking out five batters of his own en route to a three-inning save, the first of his career.
 
On offense, Campbell leaned on what it did best last season. The nation's leader in sac flies a year ago, the Camels scored via four sac flies tonight, two from Connor Denning, one from Grant Kipp, and one from Zach Neto. The offense remained unafraid to get hit by pitches as well, with four hit batters on the evening. Campbell led the country in HBP each of the last two seasons.
 
Campbell used a five-run eighth inning to tack on some insurance and put the game away. Four of the five runs in the frame were unearned after a miscue between the pitcher and first baseman put Belbin on to lead off the inning. A pair of RBI walks, a sac fly and a Neto two-run triple accounted for the inning's runs.
 
Neto paced the offense with a pair of hits and four RBI on the evening. Bryce Arnold was busy on the bases and scored three times out of the leadoff spot. The hits were scarce for the Camels with only five on the night, but seven walks and four hit batters contributed to the cause in a big way.
 
App's Tyler Tuthill was tagged with the loss after going 4.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K.
 
It was the first Opening Day shutout for Campbell since blanking Miami (Ohio) 7-0 in 2016 and the largest margin of victory in an Opening Day shutout since topping St. Andrews 11-0 in 1973.
 
Campbell returns to action tomorrow at 3 p.m. for game two against App. Cade Kuehler is expected to get the ball for the Camels. Xander Hamilton is the projected starter for the Mountaineers.