NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — Campbell topped Charleston Southern 6-5 on Sunday afternoon at CSU Ballpark, completing a three-game sweep to open Big South Conference baseball play.
Triton graduate Logan Bender (2-0) was credited with the win, pitching one and two-thirds scoreless innings of relief for the Camels. Freshman righty Brandon Jenkins was solid in his third career start, allowing just one unearned run on one hit while collecting a team-high four strikeouts over four and one-third innings. Matthew Barefoot (Midway) notched the first save of his career. The redshirt-sophomore lefty forced a quick 1-2-3 inning for the Buccaneers in the bottom of the ninth.
Wil Hartsell (1-1) took the loss, allowing two Campbell runs on two hits through one and two-thirds innings of relief.
Zach Minnick (1-for-4, RBI) launched a solo home run in the top of the seventh for one of two RBIs. Bryce Myers (1-for-2, RBI) had the second RBI with a sacrifice fly, also
in the top of the seventh. Campbell (10-10, 3-0 BSC) scored four runs on errors by the Charleston Southern defense.
Luis Gimenez (2-for-5) notched his sixth multi-hit game of the season with a single and a double. Barefoot (1-for-5) and Christian Jones (1-for-4) each extended their hit
streak to 10 and eight games, respectively, with singles in the top of the eighth.
Charleston Southern (6-15, 0-3 Big South) took a 1-0 lead in bottom of the second on an RBI groundout from Ryan Rizk (0-for-3, RBI). The run was marked as unearned as Mike Sconzo (1-
for-2, 2 RBI) crossed the plate after reaching third on a passed ball.
Campbell tied the game in the top of the fifth on a wild play. Gimenez hit a fielder’s choice to the second baseman, who fired it home to get Joe Zirolli (1-for-4) out. The catcher then
dropped the ball, allowing Barron to come home and score on the error to tie the ballgame, 1-1.
Minnick put the Camels up for good in the top of the seventh with a solo shot over the left field wall. Three batters later, Myers sent a sacrifice fly to left field to score Barron and give CU a 3-1 lead.
CU scored three more in the top of the eighth, all on CSU errors. Zirolli cranked a deep fly ball to the warning track in left field that was dropped by the outfielder, letting Jones and Barefoot score with ease. Barron hit a sharp grounder to the shortstop, and a bad throw allowed him to reach base as Zirolli crossed home plate to give Campbell a 6-1 lead.
The Bucs answered with four runs on four hits in the bottom of the eighth. Sconzo roped a two-run double to left field, then Derek Horton (1-for-4, 2 RBIs) hit a two-run homer to cut the
Campbell lead to one. Harnett Central grad Tyson Messer entered the game with two outs, forcing a popup to the shortstop to get the Camels out of the eighth inning.
(Campbell media services provided the basis for this report)