FARMVILLE, Va. – A three-hit day with a pair of home runs by Campbell outfielder Jeff Hahs led Campbell to a 7-2 victory against the Lancers in the series finale Sunday at Buddy Bolding Stadium.
Campbell (23-17, 15-3) used a three-homer day to power its way to a sweep-clinching win. Longwood (13-25, 6-12 Big South) battled after falling behind early, but the Lancers were unable to come up with an answer to the top team in the Big South.
The offensive support made Logan Bender (4-0) a winner out of the bullpen. Bender got Campbell through the fifth inning, tossing 2.0 innings with one run allowed on one hit and three walks, striking out a pair and stranding three inherited runners in the fourth inning after entering with no outs.
Tyler Morgan (2-3) suffered the loss despite racking up seven strikeouts, giving him 20 in his last two outings. Morgan retired his final eight batters and tossed 7.0 innings with six runs allowed on five hits and three walks.
Grant Keller continued to swing a hot bat, picking up a pair of hits and a pair of walks in the loss. Keller has reached safely in each of his last eight games. Keller went 2-for-2 with an RBI and three walks Sunday.
Campbell started the scoring in the first inning, ending Morgan's streak of scoreless innings. After a complete game shutout in his last outing to earn him Big South Pitcher of the Week honors, Luis Gimenez broke up Morgan's streak at 9.1 scoreless frames with a solo home run in the top of the first, giving Campbell a 1-0 lead.
Longwood got the run right back in the home half of the first.
Sammy Miller started the frame with a walk, extending his season-best reached base streak to 15 games, tied with
Justin Mitchell for the longest by a Lancer this season. After Miller stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch, Keller singled to bring in Miller. Keller has also been on a tear as of late, hitting .387 in the month of April.
A second-inning rally for Campbell look to swing the game back in the favor of the Camels until the Lancers got out of a huge jam. After Zach Minnick was hit by pitch, Tyler Anshaw walked, and Ty Babin walked to load the bases with no outs. Longwood got the first out on a strikeout. Then with bases loaded and one out and with Bryce Myers at the plate, Myers tried to lay down a bunt with Minnick trying for the plate on a suicide squeeze, but Myers pulled back the bat on a two-strike pitch and Minnick was caught in a rundown. Morgan then struck out Myers to end the threat.
Campbell did retake the lead in the third. With the bases clear and two outs in the top of the third, Hahs hit Campbell's second solo home run of the game to take a 2-1 lead.
Campbell rallied again in the fourth. Minnick singled to start the frame and Anshaw walked, both advancing on a balk. Babin brought in the run on a sacrifice fly for the first out. The next hitter, Kyle Mehl, followed with a sacrifice fly and made it 4-1.
Hahs again did heavy damage with a big swing in the fifth. Matthew Barefoot doubled and Hahs homered to left for his second of the game, giving Campbell a 6-1 lead.
The Lancers cut into the deficit in the fifth.
Ryan Shull, in the game as a pinch hitter, reached on an infield single to start the frame. After Shull stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch, Miller walked to give the Lancers runners at the corners with no outs. After a strikeout for the first out and Miller was picked off for the second, Mitchell reached on his third walk. Keller then drew ball four, but on a wild pitch to the backstop Shull was able to score and cut the deficit to 6-2.
Mitchell extended his reached base streak to 10 games, drawing four free passes to match Miller's patience at the plate. Miller and Mitchell drew eight of the 12 walks issued by Campbell pitching.
Longwood returns to the field Tuesday when the Lancers play a non-conference game at in-state foe VCU. First pitch at The Diamond is set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
#GoWood
