RADFORD, Va. - Campbell secured its third-straight Big South tournament championship and punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament after defeating Longwood in a winner-take-all final at Radford Softball Stadium.
Claudia Ware was named Most Valuable Player for the tournament and joined Tyra Parker, Isabella Smith and Allyiah Swiney on the All-Tournament team.
Ware hit .533 on the week with eight hits, including two doubles and her first home run of the season. She also added six runs, two RBI and one stolen base. Ware's RBI double in the final game gave the Camels a lead that they would not give up to claim the title.
It marks the first time Campbell has won three straight conference championships. The Camels previously won back-to-back conference tournament titles as members of the Atlantic Sun Conference in 2008 and 2009. Overall the Camels have won seven conference tournament titles (1993, 1995, 2008, 2009, 2021, 2022 and 2023).
Campbell improves to 41-16 on the season marking the third-most single-season wins in program history.
Game One: Longwood 3, Campbell 0
Kayley DeVivi hit a two run homer and Longwood defeated Campbell 3-0 to force a winner-take-all game for the Big South Championship title.
DeVivi connected for a homer over the right field wall in the first inning. The Lancers added another run on a Campbell error later on in the fifth.
The Camels, who were shutout for the first time since a 3-0 loss at Winthrop on March 19, threatened in the sixth but left Parker stranded after she recorded her sixth triple of the season.
Er'ron Burton tossed a complete game for the Lancers, allowing three hits and striking out six with one walk and one hit by pitch.
Isabella Smith (28-10) started the game for the Camels and tossed five innings where she allowed three hits and struck out four
Game Two: Campbell 7, Longwood 5
In a winner-take-all final, Campbell defeated Longwood 7-5 to claim its third-straight Big South tournament title.
Madilyn Gillespie started the game with a RBI single to left field, giving the Camels a 1-0 lead in the first. Longwood answered, tying the game on a RBI double by Korynna Anderson in the first and later took the lead in the second after Lindsey Hay scored from third on a wild pitch.
Swiney put the Camels ahead again in the fourth after driving in two runs with a single hit up the middle. Savannah White added another run in the inning on a squeeze play.
The Lancers answered once again in the fifth as a RBI double from DeVivi and a throwing error tied the game at 4-4. Ware broke the tie in the sixth with a RBI double while McClain added insurance after driving in two runs with a hit that sailed just over the glove of the Longwood pitcher.
Kayla Howald (12-5), who celebrated her birthday today, picked up the win in the circle after tossing three innings of relief. Jaimee Hardy started and tossed two innings, striking out one. Smith picked up her fourth save of the season after closing the final two innings.
Reggie Kanagawa (9-3) took the loss for the Lancers after allowing the go-ahead runs in the sixth inning. Kanagawa tossed two innings and allowed three earned runs off five hits. Burton started again for the Lancers and reentered the game. She finished with five innings pitched and allowed four earned runs off six hits.
UP NEXT
The Camels await their regional destination for the NCAA Tournament.The NCAA Selection Show on ESPN2 is scheduled for Sunday at 7:00 PM.
