Camels down Presbyterian, 5-3

by Dunn Area Sports Staff | Mar 30, 2019 | Campbell, News & Features

Matthew Barefoot connects for a first-inning double.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)

BUIES CREEK — Junior right-hander Seth Johnson struck out a career-high nine batters in eight innings Friday night as Campbell defeated Presbyterian 5-3 at in game one of a Big South Conference baseball series at Jim Perry Stadium.

Johnson, a native of Concord, allowed just one walk, five hits and one unearned run. His nine strikeouts surpassed his career best of eight, moving his season total to 38, which ranks fifth in the Big South. Just seven Blue Hose were able to reach base against Johnson as he had two 1-2-3 innings. He struck out the side in the sixth, blowing all three batters away with fast balls.

Spencer Packard had a pair of singles and was hit by a pitch, reaching base safely in three of his four at-bats. The Arizona Western College transfer has recorded nine multi-hit performances this season. Packard is tied for the team lead in hit by pitches with six. He is one of six Camels to record five or more hit by pitches so far this season.

Campbell entered Friday’s contest with the ninth best hit by pitch mark in the country with 49.

Zach Minnick also logged a multi-hit outing, recording a double and a bunt single. On the defensive side, the senior backstop threw out three runners, two runners at second base and one at third base. Minnick leads the Big South with 10 runners caught stealing.

Matthew Barefoot had CU’s other extra-base hit, a double down the right field line, good for his eighth two-bagger of the season. Tyler Anshaw, Koby Collins, Luis Gimenez, and Cameron Witt also recorded base hits, rounding out CU’s nine hits.

With the win, Johnson’s record moved to 2-2. Presbyterian’s Eric Miles (3-2) suffered the loss, allowing five runs, four earned, on nine hits in his five innings on the mound.

The Camels scored two in the first on four hits from CU’s first four batters. On the second pitch from Miles, Barefoot laced a ball down the right field line for a leadoff double. Anshaw, who was attempting a sacrifice bunt, reached on a bunt single, putting Camels on the corners for Gimenez.

The Venezuela native drove Barefoot in from third with an RBI single up the middle. Packard, the cleanup batter, loaded the bases with a liner into right field before Wolf grounded into a double play, which allowed Anshaw to come in from third.

Campbell added three more runs in the third on four hits and an error, all of which occurred with two outs on the board. After Miles retired the first two batters, Packard swung at just the fifth pitch of the inning and singled into left center; he advanced to second when Wolf drew a four-pitch walk. The next two batters, Collins and Witt, had RBI singles, moving CU’s lead to 4-0.

With Camels on the corners, Miles made a throw over to first to try to pick off Witt but the first baseman let the throw get away, which allowed Collins to score from third, tacking on Campbell’s fifth run of the ballgame.

Presbyterian scored an unearned run in the top of the seventh. For just the second time in his seven innings, Johnson allowed the leadoff batter to reach by way of a single that went into no man’s land at second base due to the Camels having a shift on. After a passed ball and a groundout to the right side of the infield advanced the runner to third, a sacrifice fly into left field plated PC’s first run.

Johnson retook the mound in the eighth with a 5-1 lead, and despite nearing 100 pitches, continued to throw pitches well above 90 mph. He got the final two outs of the inning by way of looking and swinging strikeouts.

Presbyterian cut Campbell’s lead to 5-3 in the ninth as Campbell reliever Landry Moore allowed two runs on two hits and an error. Moore got the final two outs with a strikeout and then a groundout to second base.

The Camels will look to clinch their third-consecutive Big South series Saturday, March 30, in game two against the Blue Hose. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. at Jim Perry Stadium.

(Campbell media services provided the basis for this report)