Camels take baseball opener, 9-0, over Appalachian State

by Dunn Area Sports Staff | Feb 19, 2022 | Campbell, News & Features

Thomas Harrington struck out 13 Mountaineers on Friday.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)

BUIES CREEK — Campbell (1-0) opened its 2022 baseball campaign with a 9-0 shutout over Appalachian State (0-1) on Friday at Jim Perry Stadium. The pitching duo of Thomas Harrington and Ryan Chasse combined to strike out 18 while allowing just three hits and issuing zero walks on the evening.

Harrington lived up to the preseason hype by fanning a career-high 13 batters in six innings of work to pick up the win. The sophomore struck out the side in both the third and sixth innings, and struck out at least one batter in each frame. Harrington allowed one hit and one walk while whiffing 13.

Chasse picked up where Harrington left off, striking out five en route to a three-inning save, the first of his career.

On offense, Campbell leaned on what it did best last season. The nation’s leader in sacrifice flies a year ago, the Camels scored via four sac flies, two from Connor Denning, one from Grant Kipp, and one from Zach Neto. The offense remained unafraid to get hit by pitches as well, with four hit batters on the evening. Campbell led the country in HBP each of the last two seasons.

Campbell used a five-run eighth inning to tack on some insurance and put the game away. Four of the five runs in the frame were unearned after a miscue between the pitcher and first baseman put Belbin on to lead off the inning. A pair of RBI walks, a sac fly and a two-run triple by Neto accounted for the inning’s runs.

Neto paced the offense with a pair of hits and four RBIs. Bryce Arnold was busy on the bases, scoring three times out of the leadoff spot. The hits were scarce for the Camels with only five, but seven walks and four hit batters contributed to the cause in a big way.

App’s Tyler Tuthill was tagged with the loss.

It was the first Opening Day shutout for Campbell since blanking Miami (Ohio), 7-0, in 2016 and the largest margin of victory in an Opening Day shutout since topping St. Andrews, 11-0. in 1973.

Campbell returns to action Saturday at 3 p.m. for game two against App. Cade Kuehler is expected to get the ball for the Camels. Xander Hamilton is the projected starter for the Mountaineers.

(Campbell media services provided the basis for this report)