#2 Campbell Defeats #3 Longwood, #1 USC Upstate; Advances to Title Game
Campbell opened the 2022 Big South Championship with a pair of wins against Longwood and USC Upstate Thursday afternoon at Lancer Field, advancing to Saturday's tournament final.
The No. 2 seeded Fighting Camels (36-16) opened the tournament by defeating No. 3 seeded Longwood, 5-2. Campbell returned later to knock off top-seeded USC Upstate, 6-1 in the nightcap.
Campbell advances to Saturday's championship final for the second straight season and will face the winner of USC Upstate vs. Longwood/Presbyterian. Game time for the championship final is still to be determined.
Head coach Sharonda McDonald-Kelley picked up her 100th career win after defeating USC Upstate. In her fourth season, McDonald-Kelley becomes the fastest to win 100 games at Campbell in program history.
Campbell 5, Longwood 2 - Game One
Campbell scored early and held off a late Longwood rally to win its opening game of the tournament, 5-2.
The Camels scored early as a leadoff infield hit by Claudia Ware and a walk drawn by Alyssa Henault put two on in the first inning. A fly-out and a wild pitch advanced both runners for Samantha Fontaine who connected on a RBI single to left field, scoring both runners.
Longwood answered with a solo home run in the next inning. The Camels pushed its lead back to two in third inning on a sacrifice fly from Alexa Pagano.
Campbell extended its lead in the sixth inning, scoring off an error and a Tyra Parker RBI double that bounced off the third baseman.
The Lancers threatened in the seventh inning, loading the bases following a hit and two errors with one out. Longwood hit a sacrifice fly to right fielder Danielle Northrup who made the catch and following throw to third base to tag the runner trying to advance to end the game.
Georgeanna Barefoot (16-5) picked up the win in the circle after a complete game effort where she struck out two and left seven Longwood runners stranded.
Sydney Backstrom (21-12), the reigning Big South pitcher of the year took the loss for the Lancers after allowing five earned runs off five walks and six hits.
Fontaine and T. Parker finished 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Camels.
Campbell 6, USC Upstate 1 - Game Two
Campbell knocked off top-seeded USC Upstate, 6-1 in its second game of the day in a matchup that started with an hour-plus rain delay and a setback mid-game due to the stadium lights going out.
Following two scoreless innings, Campbell's bats came to life in the third. Savannah White started off the inning with a single up the middle. T. Parker earned a walk while Ware executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance both runners.
The next batter, Henault, connected on a hit that landed just fair to score two runs. The Camels continued as Delaney McDilda was hit by pitch while Pagano knocked one to left center to load the bases. Kayla Fredendall took a 2-0 count before hitting a grand slam over the netting in center field, giving Campbell a 6-0 lead.
The Spartans threatened in the sixth inning, loading the bases and scoring one run following a Campbell fielding miscue before Isabella Smith struck out the final batter to end the inning.
Smith just needed seven pitches in the seventh inning, striking out one batter while forcing the next two to fly-out to end the game.
An All-Big South second team selection, Smith (15-7) provided a stellar performance in the circle for the Camels, allowing no earned runs, four hits and striking out seven in a complete game.
Hannah Houge (29-7), an All-Big South first team honoree, took the loss for the Spartans after throwing 2.2 innings and giving up all six earned runs. Alyssa Kelly finished the night for Upstate allowing two hits and striking out three.
Fredendall led the Camels at the plate going 2-for-3 with four RBI and one run while Henault went 1-for-4 with two RBI and one run.
UP NEXT
Campbell will have Friday off before returning to play in the Big South Championship final on Saturday against the winner of USC Upstate vs. Longwood/Presbyterian.