BUIES CREEK – No. 11 Campbell picked up a comeback win to top High Point 16-9 Friday night in Buies Creek. Campbell has now won 21 straight series openers, and 24 straight on Fridays.
The Fighting Camels improve to 29-8, 14-2 in the Big South, while HPU falls to 13-25, 6-10 in the league. A sold out crowd of 1,292 was on hand, the fourth largest crowd in Jim Perry Stadium history.
Tyler Halstead got the scoring started with an inside-the-park home run in the first, Campbell's first since 2014.
High Point got to
Cade Kuehler early, tagging him for a season-high seven runs (five earned) across the first four innings and leading the Camels 7-1 in the middle of the fourth.
Lawson Harrill got one back with his first HR of the night on a solo-shot in the fourth.
Trailing 8-2 in the fifth the Campbell offense started to come to life, manufacturing three runs against Panther starter Gus Hughes. Three free passes loaded the bases to set up an RBI single from
Logan Jordan, a sac fly from
Lawson Harrill and a run-scoring wild pitch.
The offense exploded with a seven run seventh to retake the lead for the first time since 1-0. The inning had everything, including Campbell hitting for the cycle as a team during the frame. Halstead lead things off with a triple before Harrill connected for a no-doubt three-run shot to left to put Campbell ahead 9-8. The bases were loaded again in the frame and a pair of RBI hit by pitches brought home two more to put the Camels ahead 12-8 by the end of the frame. Campbell sent 13 batters to the plate during the big inning.
Campbell added four more runs on just one hit the following inning, with five batters reaching via walk or HBP. Campbell was hit by a season-high seven pitches on the night,
Drake Pierson wearing three of those. The Camels worked a total of 16 free passes between walks and HBP.
Ty Cummings turned in a strong relief effort, working the final four innings and allowing just one run in the ninth and striking out five. He allowed only one baserunner in his first three innings and erased him with an inning-ended double play ball.
The middle of the order did the damage for the Camels, led by Harrill going 2-5 with 2 HR and 5 RBI. The 3-6 spots in the order accounted for 2, 3, 4, and 5 RBI in order from Halstead, Pierson, Jordan, and Harrill.
Logan Jordan had a three-hit day and reached five times.
The Camels and Panthers are back for game two of the series tomorrow at 3 p.m. That game will be streamed on ESPN+. Cam O'Brien is expected to take the mound for Campbell.
