BUIES CREEK – No. 19 Campbell swept the first Big South series of the year with a 9-1 win over Winthrop Sunday afternoon at Jim Perry Stadium. The Camels outscored the Eagles 33-6 over the course of the three-game series.
Campbell improves to 15-3, 3-0 in the Big South, while Winthrop falls to 9-12, 0-3 in the league. The sweep is Campbell's second of the year, also having a sweep Butler back in February. The win was Campbell's seventh in a row at home.
The Camels had only nine hits for the game, but five left the yard. Over the course of the last two games, 14 of Campbell's 20 hits have gone for extra bases.
Campbell has proven capable of big innings throughout the year, but today was a steady climb to a 9-0 lead, scoring either one or two runs in each of the first six innings.
Drake Pierson put the Camels on the board in the first with a two-run opposite field homer. He'd tag another one with a tape measure shot to left in the fifth. Pierson now leads the Camels with nine home runs on the year.
Max Weller launched his first home run of the year in the second inning.
Bryce Arnold homered in the fifth, and Belbin homered in the sixth to round out the long balls for the day. Sunday was the third time Campbell has hit five home runs in a game three times this year.
Campbell pitching was rock solid on a staff day, keeping Winthrop off the board for the first eight innings.
Cameron O'Brien made his first career start and worked two innings, allowing only one hit and striking out three.
Jake Murray relieved him and earned the win working two scorless innings as well.
Cade Boxrucker,
Daniel Brown, and
Jeremy Wiegman all pitched shutout innings.
Griffin Parrill finished the game allowing just one run in the ninth. The six Campbell pitchers combined to allow only five hits and strike out 10 for the game.
No. 19 Campbell now awaits a top-20 matchup, with a neutral site game against No. 10 East Carolina at Segra Stadium in Fayetteville. There will also be an audio call available on GoCamels.com and The Varsity Network App.
