Update: this weekend’s series between Campbell and Liberty has been altered to where there will only be two games played. Saturday’s contest between the two teams has been canceled due to inclement weather forecasted for the Lynchburg area. The Camels and Flames will play a single game on Friday at 4 p.m. and a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Liberty baseball team has maintained their winning streak, sweeping the weekend series against Canisius and winning a Tuesday game against the now 11-2 North Carolina Tar Heels, 1-0. The close win feels like a real statement game for Liberty as they continue to keep collecting wins in different ways. Despite only 4 hits against UNC, they powered through with a lone run being scored from a solo shot from Aaron Anderson in the first inning. The win should continue to help Liberty climb the up the rankings.
The Campbell Camels come into this weekend series at 6-7. They have a win against No. 22 NC State on their resume and have played solid competition thus far. They have yet to play a true away game, going 4-6 at home and 2-1 in neutral site games. Their first away game test will be against a top 15 team in the Flames that have only lost twice in their last two seasons at home.
Campbell shortstop (and occasional pitcher) Zach Neto has produced consistent hitting numbers as the usual third guy in the batting order. As of now he is currently the only starting Campbell player with a batting average of .300 or higher with .349 and also holds a slugging percentage of .512. Neto has also pitched two innings in relief in two games against NC State and UNC Wilmington. He has allowed 5 total hits, 2 earned runs and 4 strikeouts.
First baseman Drake Pierson is another name to keep an eye out for in the lineup. He is second only to Neto in slugging percentage at .488 and third in batting average at .244. Campbell being a team that seems to struggle with big hits on offense, he leads the team with 2 home runs. The offensive arsenal of the Camels does not seem as potent as other teams the Flames have faced so I don’t anticipate too much of a shootout in the upcoming matches.
Thomas Harrington has been the hot handed starting pitcher for Campbell through this first part of the season. He has pitched in 20 innings in three starts and gone 2-1 in those starts. He has allowed a total of 7 hits and only 2 earned runs. The one loss on his record came in a matchup against a ranked Maryland squad where he only allowed 2 hits and 1 earned run on a day where the Campbell Camels could not get anything going in a shutout loss.
Relief pitcher Ty Cummings is also a name that will likely surface this weekend as he has appeared in 8 of the Camels 13 games this season. He has been solid coming into games and will likely get some play in Lynchburg. I anticipate seeing Harrington and Cummings at some point this weekend.
Liberty’s Derek Orndorff continues to crank baseballs out of stadiums and as of now is currently leading the nation in home runs with 10 in the first 12 games. The Flames seem to have a real stud on their hands in Orndorff and we should all appreciate the skills and power this man is showing off with the bat in his hands.
Liberty pitcher Joe Adametz III is pulling away statistically from the rest of the starting rotation, Adametz III has allowed only 1 earned run in his 3 starts and 16 innings pitched. His ERA is currently a scorching 0.56 and he’s the only starting Flames pitcher with and ERA below 4. These numbers will likely stabilize as he continues to pitch but his hot start is certainly impressive.
The Flames should take care of business at home in this weekend series but this Campbell team is certainly no cakewalk. Liberty’s baseball team has been the buzz around campus in a time of year absent from other major sports, and continuing to grow their double-digit win streak will only build onto the hype train that is looking to board more and more passengers.
