Campbell Outlasts East Carolina 7-6 In Buies Creek

Tuesday, February 20

Buies Creek, N.C.

5:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

3-1

Campbell

3-1

East Carolina

Campbell

February 20, 2024 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Despite taking a late lead in the contest, No. 11 East Carolina could not quite hold on as Campbell scored two runs in the eighth to erase a one-run deficit and collect a 7-6 win Tuesday evening at Jim Perry Stadium.

The Camels (3-1), who won a home series over then No. 17 UC Santa Barbara last weekend, won their fourth consecutive one-run decision over the Pirates (3-1) dating back to the beginning of last season.

ECU out-hit Campbell 8-6 but left 11 on base and committed a pair of errors as only three of the Camels' runs ended up earned. The Pirate pitching staff also stuck out double figures for the fourth-straight game, punching out 13 Campbell batters.

Grant Knipp had quite the night for the hosts, delivering four RBI at the plate before entering to pitch in the ninth and locking down the save. Jackson Roberts (1-0) notched his first win of the season in 0.1 innings of relief work while Jaden Winter (0-1) was tagged with the loss after allowing two runs (both unearned) on one hit with a walk and a strikeout.

Justin Wilcoxen and Dixon Williams tallied a pair of hits each while Carter Cunningham chipped in with a pair of RBI. Lawson Harrill recorded two hits, a run scored and a walk.

The Camels threatened in the bottom of the first, getting a pair of runners into scoring position with one out, but Pirate starter Chris Kahler struck out Knipp and induced a fly ball to left to keep things scoreless.

Knipp put Campbell on the board in the bottom of the third with two outs, clubbing a three-run home run to make it a 3-0 contest. East Carolina answered back in the top of the fifth on the strength of a Williams single, Luke Nowak double and Wilcoxen infield single that plate Williams to slice the Pirate deficit to a pair. Jacob Starling later drew a bases-loaded walk to draw the Pirates within one. The Camels put up a two spot in the home half of the frame to extend their lead back to three.

Cunningham came up large in the top of the seventh. With Nathan Chrismon at third and Johnson at second, the senior laced a double down the left field line to drive in both runners and cut the Campbell upper hand to 5-4. Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman then worked around a leadoff double and struck out the next three batters to provide a much-needed shutdown frame.

ECU grabbed its first lead of the night in the top of the eighth. Cam Clonch got things started by drawing a walk before Williams roped a single to left that sent pinch runner Bristol Carter to second. Nowak then worked a walk to load the bases with no outs. Following a strikeout, Nathan Chrismon laid down a textbook suicide squeeze bunt that evaded the catcher and allowed Carter to scoot home and tie the contest. Johnson would put the Pirates on top one at bat later via an RBI groundout.

The Camels responded with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth to propel back in front 7-6, setting up East Carolina's final chance at the dish. Jacob Jenkins-Cowart sent a single through the left side to lead off the frame before moving to second on a Carter sac bunt. Nowak would draw a walk with two outs before Wilcoxen put a charge into one and sent it sailing towards the left field fence, but the ball stayed in the park to end the game.

East Carolina dropped to 70-31 all-time versus Campbell.
The Pirate pitching staff now owns 50 strikeouts against just 14 walks this season.
Ryley Johnson swiped two more bases to increase his season total to five.
The Camels posted four two-out RBI but was just 2-for-13 (.154) with runners in scoring position.
ECU was 1-for-5 (.200) with the bases loaded.

Looking Ahead: East Carolina travels to Chapel Hill Friday to kick off a three-game series against No. 15 North Carolina. First pitch at Boshamer Stadium is scheduled for 4 p.m. and the contest will stream live via ACC Network Extra.