Campbell vs. Bradley
SHELBY, N.C. (Interstat) — The Bradley Braves rallied from a four-run deficit Sunday afternoon to defeat the Campbell Fightin Camels 5-4 at Keeter Stadium, avenging a 14-3 loss from the previous day.
Bradley improved to 10-43 while Campbell dropped to 36-15.
The Fightin Camels struck first in the top of the third inning. Logen Sutton singled to left field, and Jett Music followed with a two-run home run to center field, scoring Sutton and giving Campbell a 2-0 lead. The inning continued with an error, but Bradley starter Gavin Thompson escaped further damage after entering for the third.
Campbell added a run in the fourth. With one out, Murphy doubled to right-center and scored on Andrew Schuldt’s single to left field, extending the lead to 3-0.
Bradley got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Landon Lowe singled to right, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on Hayden Mille’s single to left-center, cutting the deficit to 3-1.
The game turned in the bottom of the fifth. After a strikeout and a walk, Peyton Nelson singled to put runners on first and second. A lineout followed, but Sohrab Rezae walked to load the bases. Luke Skinner then crushed a grand slam to right field, scoring Rezae, Nelson and Jaxon Schuma, and giving Bradley a 5-3 lead.
Campbell answered in the top of the seventh. Sutton led off with a solo home run to left field, his second hit of the game, pulling the Fightin Camels within one at 5-4. Music reached on an error, but Bradley reliever Josh Vaughn entered and struck out Oster looking to end the threat.
The Fightin Camels threatened again in the ninth. Schuldt singled and was replaced by pinch-runner Clayton. After a strikeout, Clayton advanced to second and then third on wild pitches, but was thrown out at home on a relay from shortstop to catcher, ending the game.
Bradley’s bullpen was crucial. Starter Eli Lehrman earned the win, pitching 4 2/3 innings, allowing three hits, two earned runs and striking out two. Vaughn earned the save with 2 1/3 innings of one-hit, four-strikeout relief. Luke Skinner drove in all five Bradley runs with his grand slam and a strikeout.
For Campbell, Mason Smith took the loss despite a bizarre line: 5 1/3 innings, no hits allowed, five earned runs and seven strikeouts, undone by three walks, a hit batter and the grand slam. Owen Simmons threw 1 2/3 hitless innings with two strikeouts, and Carlos Lugo pitched a clean eighth. At the plate, Sutton finished 2 for 4 with a home run and an RBI, Schuldt went 2 for 4 with an RBI, and Music was 1 for 3 with a two-run homer.
The game featured 13 combined hits, with Bradley collecting seven and Campbell six. Each team committed one error.
Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Campbell 8, Bradley 3, and Interstat’s ELO system gave Campbell an 85.10 percent probability to win before the game.