Saturday, March 08, 2008

BUIES CREEK, N.C. (March 8, 2008) - The ETSU baseball team dropped two games to Campbell at Taylor Field in Buies Creek, N.C. Saturday as the Bucs fell just short of a comeback in the first game, 4-3, and would lose the second game, 5-1.

ETSU (1-10, 1-4) received good starts from Brandon Langston (Ringgold, Ga.) and Ty Sarchet (Honolulu, Hawaii), but were not able to produce enough runs to keep with Campbell, as the Bucs were out-hit 18-14 on the day.

In game one, the Bucs would come up short as Campbell right fielder Mike Causey threw out Chris Rankhorn (Gallatin, Tenn.) at the plate on a Ryan Self (Mount Juliet, Tenn.) single. The Camels would score a run in the bottom of the first on a squeeze bunt by Ryan Hamme with two outs. Campbell would score two more on a bloop single over Nick Belcher's (Abingdon, Va.) head and a throwing error by Danny Petro (Atlanta, Ga.) to make the score 3-0.

The Bucs would cut into the Campbell lead in the third inning on an RBI single by Troy Mendez (Roswell, Ga.) driving in Ben Allen (Kingsport, Tenn.).

In the bottom of the fourth an RBI triple by Carlton Floyd tripled to right center driving in another run, but Anthony Russell would make an outstanding play doubling up Floyd at the plate on a throw falling away from the infield.

ETSU would make the score 4-2 as Belcher would hit his second home run of the season on a solo shot to left field. Russell would add another run on a solo shot of his own in the seventh as the home run was his third of the season.

The Bucs would get two runners on in the ninth, but would not be able to scratch across a run as Campbell would win by a final of 4-3.

Langston had a great outing pitching eight innings only allowing four runs on ten hits striking out two with no walks in the loss.

In the second game, Campbell would take an early 1-0 lead on an RBI double by Brandon Scott. With the bases loaded Belcher would walk to bring in Mendez to tie the score 1-1.

Campbell would score three more in the fifth on an RBI singles by Graham Fronk and Causey and a grounder to short by Ellis Lowe to give the Camels a 4-1 lead. The Camels would score again in the seventh on an RBI single by Scott.

The ETSU bats would go cold as the Campbell pitchers would scatter four Buccaneer hits over nine innings. Sarchet pitched five innings with three earned runs striking out four and walking two. Belcher was 3-for-7 on the day driving in two runs on a home run and a double.

Game three of the series is slated for 1 p.m. on Monday from Taylor Field in Buies Creek, N.C.

Game 1: Campbell 4, ETSU 3 (March 8, 2008 at Buies Creek, N.C.)
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ETSU............ 001  001  100  -  3  10  1     (1-9, 1-3 A-Sun)

CU.................300  100  00x  -  4  10  0     (4-5, 2-2 A-Sun)
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Pitchers: ETSU - Brandon Langston
CU - Justin Lilly; Hunter Ford (8)
Win -  Justin Lilly (1-0) Loss -  Brandon Langston (0-3)

HR: ETSU -  Nick Belcher (2); Anthony Russell (3)

Game 2: Campbell 5, ETSU 1  (March 8, 2008 at Buies Creek, N.C.)
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ETSU............ 010  000  000  -  1  4  1     (1-10, 1-4 A-Sun)

CU.................100  030  10x  -  5  8  0     (5-5, 3-2 A-Sun)
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Pitchers: ETSU - Ty Sarchet; Dustin Plumlee (6)
CU - Brandon Scott; Hunter Ford (8)
Win - Brandon Scott (1-1) Loss -  Ty Sarchet (1-2)