BOILING SPRINGS –
Trevor Mattson hit a pair of home runs for Gardner-Webb on Sunday, but Campbell scored three times in the top of the ninth to escape with a 10-9 win over the Runnin' Bulldogs.
Gardner-Webb (10-19, 1-5 Big South) led 9-5 after a four-run burst in the sixth, but the Camels plated a pair in the seventh and used some good fortune in the ninth to take the lead for good.
Campbell (15-12, 5-1 Big South) used the long ball to stake itself to a 4-0 lead through four innings. Jarrod Belbin led off the game with a long solo shot to right center and Lawson Harrill led off the fourth with a solo bomb to left center to put the Camels up 2-0.
After a pair of singles with two outs, Drake Pierson hammered a fastball deep to left center to put the Camels up 4-0. It was Pierson's second home run of the series. Gardner-Webb went to Michael Portella after that shot and the veteran righty worked out of the jam with an easy ground ball.
The Runnin' Bulldogs wasted no time rallying to tie the game.
Peter Capobianco led off with a walk and
Daegan Brady followed with a one-out double down the line in right to put Gardner-Webb on the board.
Benino Mendella dropped a two-out double into left for a 4-2 score, then
Trevor Mattson hit the first home run of his Gardner-Webb career – a two-run rocket to left field to tie the game.
Campbell moved back in front with one out in the fifth, getting a solo homer from Belbin to the opposite field. A single and a fielding error allowed two more Camels to reach base, but Portella rolled a 5-3 double play ball to end the inning down just one run.
Gardner-Webb got a leadoff single from
Alex Ray and got two men into scoring position after Capobianco was plunked – followed by a wild pitch. Brady drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases with two outs and the Camels went to the bullpen.
A wild pitch allowed Ray to sprint home and tie the game – and
AJ Jones walked to load the bases once again. Camels' reliever Jake Murray was able to put out the fire, getting a four-pitch strikeout for the third out.
After a scoreless top of the sixth, Gardner-Webb stormed in front. Mattson led off the bottom half of the inning with another towering solo shot to left for a 6-5 lead.
Jacob Marcos walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a ground rule double by
Curtis Robison. A pair of walks loaded the bases and Brady followed by dumping a single into shallow right to score Robison.
AJ Jones capped the rally with a sacrifice fly to right in foul territory and Gardner-Webb held a 9-5 lead.
Campbell got two of those runs back in the top of the seventh when Harrill hit his second home run of the game – a two-run shot to dead center. Gardner-Webb made a call to the bullpen soon after and
Connor Gleeson worked out of the inning with his 'Dogs still in front.
Gleeson got out of the eighth with the lead still intact and Gardner-Webb loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth. Campbell was able to work out of that jam and made its move in the ninth.
Harrill walked to lead off the inning and moved up a base when Denning rolled a single down the third base line off the end of his bat. A double steal was followed by a throwing error to first, allowing both runners to score and tie the game. Gardner-Webb went to closer
Gabe Pilla, but Dylan Koontz was safe on a soft bunt single. A fielder's choice cut down a Campbell runner at third for the first out of the inning, but Ty Babin belted an RBI single to right center to put the visitors back on top.
Pilla recovered with a 6-3 double play to end the inning.
Ray led off with a walk in the bottom of the ninth, but Campbell closer Ryan Chasse picked up his second save of the weekend with a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.
Garrett Kangas (1-0) worked 1.0 scoreless inning for the win, allowing just one base runner on a walk.
The Camels had 11 hits, with Harrill (3-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI) leading the way. Campbell scored seven of its 10 runs on home runs Sunday, with Belbin also hitting a pair.
Gleeson (2-2) took the loss for GWU, allowing three runs on three hits in 3.0 innings of relief work.
Brady (3-for-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI), Mattson (2-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI) and Ray (2-for-4) each had two of Gardner-Webb's nine base knocks.
The Runnin' Bulldogs will step out of conference on Wednesday, making the short trip to Cullowhee, N.C., to battle Western Carolina at 4:00 pm.
