Bucs Pound Camels In First Game Back After Finals

Mark Perry

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The Bucs blasted their way out of a 15-day layoff using a pair of big innings to push their way past Campbell 15-4, Monday evening at Taylor Field. The Bucs improved to 17-30 on the season with their largest margin of victory of the year, while Campbell fell to 10-39 with the loss.

Brandon Roberts started the game, going five strong innings, giving up two runs on five hits, striking out six to earn the victory on the mound. Mark Perry led the way offensively, going 4-for-6 from the plate, scoring twice. Justin Fyle, Anthony Hayes, Keith Stewart and Ryan Smart each had a pair of base hits.

Charleston Southern sent 10 different batters to the plate, with all 10 recording at least one hit as CSU pounded out 17 hits, the third highest hit total of the season.

The Bucs wasted no time getting on the board, taking advantage of Camel mistakes in the top of the first inning. Chris Krogmeier led off the game by getting hit by a pitch, and a walk to Justin Fyle put two on with no one out. An error on an Anthony Hayes ground ball scored Krogmeier to put CSU up 1-0. The first hit of the game loaded the bases as Perry ripped one down the line. Everyone would move up a base and CSU would increase their lead to 2-0 on the second error of the game, this time by the shortstop on a grounder by Keith Stewart.

Lionel Greene kept the rally going as he hit a single up the middle, putting the Bucs up 3-0 with just one out. The second RBI of the game came with another hit batter, this time Matt Steele took one for the team and further increased the lead.

Campbell continued to hurt themselves as an error by the first baseman on an Adam Brown grounder allowed two more runs to come across, as CSU went up 6-0 with just one out, having hit through the order to start the game.

The final run of the inning came via a sacrifice fly by Krogmeier, scoring Steele and capping a seven-run first inning. The Bucs did their damage on just two hits, taking advantage of three errors, chasing starter Chris England after just a third of an inning.

A hit batter by the Bucs in the bottom of the second led to the first Campbell run, as Todd Matthews reached after being hit. After stealing third, Matthews scored on a wild pitch. Again Campbell scored on a wild pitch, this time it was Carl Floyd that got the free pass home, cutting the CSU lead to 7-2.

Zach Johnson led off the seventh with a pinch-hit triple, as Campbell threatened again. He would come around to score on a Mike Causey single to centerfield, making it a four-run game.

After the initial onslaught of runs, the Bucs were held scoreless for five innings, but struck big again in the seventh. The first three men all reached safely, with Hayes coming around to score on a RBI single by Stewart. A sacrifice bunt by Greene caused an error on the catcher and brought Perry around to score. Smart singled down the left field line to score Stewart. The fifth Campbell error of the game scored Smart, as the Bucs extended their lead back to 11-3.

CSU added four more runs in the top of the ninth as Fyle doubled in Smart after a leadoff single to start the rally. Hayes doubled to score Fyle and Stephen Herzog, while Perry rounded out the inning with a RBI single, scoring Hayes.

Campbell would add one run in the bottom of the ninth, giving the final score of 15-4.

The Bucs will stay on the road to face Fuman, Tuesday night at 6 p.m.