BUIES CREEK — Campbell baseball exploded for six runs in the fifth inning and tallied 13 hits in the game to power past Duke in eight innings on Tuesday night at Jim Perry Stadium.
Campbell (10-9) scored across the first three innings before exploding for a six-run fifth inning and finalized the contest in the eighth with three runs. The Camels tallied 13 hits on the night as four Camels registered multi-hit performances.
Mason Smith put together a solid performance on the mound working 3.0 innings allowing just one hits and picking up a season-high seven strikeouts. Beau Brailey (2-0) picked up the win in relief tossing the final 2.1 innings allowing just two hits and striking out three.
Carlos Lugo opened the scoring for the Camels in the opening frame by scoring on a wild pitch after collecting his first hit of the night, making it 1-0. Elijah Clayton and Joey Morton each collected an RBI sacrifice fly in the second and third, respectively, to make it 3-1 after three.
Duke (15-8) looked to answer in the third on a sacrifice fly to cut into the deficit and again in the fifth on a solo home run but the Camels quickly answered in the bottom of the fifth.
The Camels plated six runs on four hits and two Duke miscues in the fifth to make it 9-2. Morton launched his fourth home run of the year, a two-run shot to right field after Logan Chapman led off the inning with a base hit. Two batters later, Andrew Keller doubled and advanced to third on back-to-back walks before scoring on a wild pitch. Joe Simpson continued the offense with a two-RBI single before stealing second and scoring on a Duke error.
The Blue Devils drew a bases loaded hit-by-pitch in the sixth as the Camels responded again in the bottom of the frame as Chapman scored on a wild pitch after leading off the inning with an extra-base hit.
Campbell would wrap things up early in the eighth as Chapman continued his hot streak launching his third home run of the year, a solo shot to left field, before Keller registered a two-RBI double to left center for the walk-off.
Chapman reached base in every at-bat going 4-for-4 including a pair of base hits, a double, home run, and four runs scored. Chapman extends his hitting streak to five games and reached base streak to 14 games.
Keller, Murphy, and Simpson each registered multi-hit performances. Keller and Simpson each collected a pair of RBI while Keller registered a pair of extra-base hits.
Owen Simmons also put together a solid performance allowing two runs on two hits and picking up two strikeouts in 2.2 innings of work.
Next Up
Campbell host No. 16 Coastal Carolina for a midweek contest on Wednesday, March 18 at Jim Perry Stadium. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. and will be streamed on FloCollege.
