Zacchaeus Rasberry gets a 2-run single in the ninth for the Blue Hose.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
FAYETTEVILLE — Campbell saw its tournament run come to an end in falling, 8-5, to Presbyterian in the Big South Conference baseball championship game Saturday at Segra Stadium. Campbell surrendered three runs in the ninth that proved to be the difference in the ballgame.
Campbell (35-16) now sits as a potential bubble team for the NCAA tournament and awaits the NCAA selection show Monday at noon on ESPN2.
The Camels jumped to an early 1-0 lead on a Bryce Arnold leadoff home run, his fifth blast of the season and second leadoff home run. Arnold finished the day 3-for-4 with two RBIs, three runs and a triple shy of the cycle.
The Blue Hose answered with three in the third with the help of two walks and an error.
The Camels tied it up in the bottom of the frame after back-to-back doubles and two productive outs.
With Campbell up by one in the seventh, Zach Neto drove a double to the gap to score Arnold from first and give the Camels a 2-run cushion.
The two-run lead wasn’t enough as PC scored the final five runs of the game, two in the eighth and three in the ninth. The big ninth inning began with four consecutive free-passes given by Camel pitchers on a hit batter and three walks.
The Most Outstanding Player of the tournament, Zacchaeus Rasberry, delivered the final blow with a 2-run single to extend the lead to 8-5.
PC’s Alex Flood earned the win on the mound while Logan Heintzman was tagged with the loss, his first of the season.
Four Camels were named to the all-tournament team, including Matthew Christian, Collin Wolf, Spencer Packard and Grant Harris.
(Campbell media services provided the basis for this report)
Presbyterian celebrates its first NCAA Tournament berth.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Kevin Westlake started on the mound for the Camels.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Bryce Arnold starts his home run trot in the first inning.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Ty Cummings was CU’s second pitcher at Segra Stadium on Saturday.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Spencer Packard snares a line drive for the Camels.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Connor Denning connects for a double in the third.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Bryce Arnold hits an RBI single in the third on Saturday.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Matthew Christian retires Landon Shaw at first on a third strike.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Zach Neto produces a run-scoring double for the Camels in the seventh.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
