Campbell crushes USC Upstate, 17-2

by | Apr 11, 2022 | Campbell, News & Features

Tyler Halstead hits his second home run of the game for Campbell.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)

BUIES CREEK — The Campbell offense stayed red-hot to lift Campbell to a 17-2 Big South Conference series-opening win over South Carolina Upstate on Friday night at Jim Perry Stadium. Four Camels tallied multi-hit games while two drove in four runs each to pace the attack.

Campbell subsequently swept the Spartans with 14-9 triumph Saturday and an 11-6 victory on Sunday. The series sweep moved Campbell to 18-12 overall and 8-1 in league play, while USC Upstate dropped to 18-14, 7-5.

The 17 runs and 15 hits are both good for second-most on the year, trailing the marks set during the 36-run outburst against Presbyterian on March 27.

Tyler Halstead was the leader of the night at the plate. Hitting out of the 9-hole in the order, the redshirt-junior went 4-for-4 with two home runs and four RBIs. The two home runs were the first two of his Campbell career, along with recording his first multi-hit game as a Camel.

Campbell jumped out to an early lead with four runs in the second inning with three highlight plays: a squeeze bunt, a passed ball allowing a run to score from second base, and the first of Halstead’s home runs.

After each team traded runs in the third, Campbell blew the game wide open with a 10-run fifth inning that saw the first eight batters reach safely. The biggest blow of the inning came courtesy of a Connor Denning 430-foot, three-run blast with two outs. In total, the ten runs were scored on eight hits by eight different players.

That was plenty of insurance for Harrington (7-1), who cruised to his nation’s best seventh win of the season. The sophomore turned in a line of six innings pitched, five hits, two runs (one earned) with two walks and seven strikeouts.

Cameron O’Brien picked up the first save of his career, striking out three while facing the minimum.

Connor Denning also had a huge day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with four RBIs and three runs scored. Drake Pierson and Ty Babin each logged two-hit games while Babin drove in four.

Upstate’s Jacob Curry was tagged with the loss.

(Campbell media services provided the basis for this report)

Thomas Harrington improved to 7-1 with the win.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)

Waldy Arias turns a double play for the Camels in the eighth inning.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)

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