NEWARK, Del. – The Fighting Camels unleashed 12 runs in the top of the ninth inning to secure the 18-6 win over Delaware, Thursday night at Bob Hannah Stadium, clinching their spot in next week's CAA Championship.
 
18 runs tie the most runs scored this season, and the 12-run margin is the largest margin of victory this season for the Camels.
 
Darnell Parker Jr. had five RBI in the final frame, and seven in the game, as Campbell improved to 23-28 and 14-11 in conference play. Delaware now sits at 27-24 (11-14). With their spot in the conference tournament locked up, the Camels are playing for seeding. Seeds 3-6 are still to be determined.
 
CU entered the ninth inning with a two-run lead, 6-4. A double, walk and hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth, then Parker Jr. and Jackson Thompson hit back-to-back two RBI doubles to extend the lead to six.
 
Two more hit-by-pitches loaded the bases again with one out, then Joey Morton walked in a run and Charlie Meglio reached on an error to extend the rally.
 
Seth Farni hit a two RBI single up the middle, then Parker Jr. and Thompson once again went back-to-back, this time with home runs to add the final four runs of the frame.
 
Over the course of the game, spots seven, eight, and nine in the Campbell lineup accounted for 13 RBI.
 
Zach Sabers started on the bump for the Camels, going 6.0 innings with four hits, four runs and eight strikeouts in the winning effort, moving his record to 2-1 this year. Ryan McLaughin was credited with the loss for Delaware, giving up the go-ahead run in the third. His record is now 2-5.
 
Joe Simpson turned on the scoreboard on the second pitch of the game with a leadoff home run. Parker Jr. added two more runs in the second inning with his first home run of the night.
 
McLaughlin replaced Delaware starter Elias Conway after 1.1 innings. In total, the Blue Hens used six pitchers. Carter Welch was the most effective of the group, going 4.0 innings and allowing just one hit and no runs with eight strikeouts.
 
Jonah Oster added one more run in the second with an RBI single through the shift to score Thompson.
 
The Blue Hens roared back with four runs to tie the game in the bottom of the second inning. Matthew Minckler and LT Cockrill each recorded two RBI hits.
 
Sabers settled down after the frame, retiring the side in order in the third and fourth innings. That allowed the Camels to build their lead once again with RBI singles from Andrew Keller and Simpson in the third frame.
 
Sabers retired the side in order once again in the sixth inning after stranding two Delaware baserunners in scoring position in the fifth.
 
Lleyton Grubich pitched the final three innings for Campbell, earning his second save of the season. He retired the side in order in the seventh inning. The Blue Hens put runners on the corners with one out in the eighth, but a 6-4-3 double play kept the two-run advantage intact going to the final frame.
 
Delaware scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth on a two RBI double by Cockrill.
 
UP NEXT
The series continues tomorrow at 6:30 from Newark, with the action streamed on FloCollege.
 
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