ELON, N.C. – The Fighting Camels clinched their first series win in CAA play with a second straight victory over Elon, 8-4, Saturday afternoon at Latham Park.

Campbell (19-7, 3-2 CAA) struck first in the second inning. Dalen Thompson led the inning with a walk, then stole second base. Thompson advanced to third on a ground out from Reed Stallman. Andrew Schuldt brought him around to score with another groundout, and Campbell took the 1-0 lead.

The Phoenix (10-16, 0-5 CAA) tied the game in the third with an RBI single from Charlie Granatell.

Elon extended their lead to 3-1 in the fifth inning with another single from Granatell, scoring Vince Fattore and James Broderick.

Campbell's first hit of the game came with one out in the sixth inning, when Payton Howard laid down a bunt and beat the throw to first. He advanced to second, and Lawson Harrill reached, on a fielding error by the third baseman.

After the two advanced to second and third on a wild pitch, Thompson hit a sac fly to right field to score Howard and advance Harrill to third.

Stallman followed the sac fly with a walk, and Schuldt then singled through the opposite side to score Harrill and tie the game back at 3-3.

Elon took back the lead, 4-3, with a bases loaded walk from pinch hitter Shane Paradine. That would be the only damage Jackson Roberts allowed after loading the bases with one out.

Roberts came on in relief of Cooper Clark, who went five innings, allowing three runs on three hits while recording four strikeouts.

The top of the seventh inning proved critical yet again, as the Camels scored five runs in the frame for the second consecutive game. The inning started with Braeden O'Shaughnessy laying down a bunt for a single.

Chandler Riley followed that with a double to left, advancing O'Shaughnessy to third. Peyton Bonds then worked a seven-pitch walk to load the bases. Howard singled to center field, scoring O'Shaughnessy and Riley to put the Camels up, 5-4.

After the Phoenix changed pitchers, Howard and Bonds moved to second and third because of a throwing error on a failed pick-off attempt. Harrill hit a sac fly to center to score Bonds and move Howard to third, and it was only the first out of the inning.

After Thompson, Stallman singled up the middle to score Howard. Charlie Meglio doubled to right field to score Stallman, putting the Camels on top, 8-4.

Roberts continued on the mound, pitching the final four innings for the Camels. He allowed only two hits while facing 21 batters, and now holds a 4-1 record on the year, tied for the team-high in wins.

The Camels executed when it mattered. With a runner on third and less than two outs, the runner scored every time.  

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The series between Campbell and Elon concludes tomorrow with a 1:00 first pitch from Latham Park and FloSports.  

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