STARKVILLE, Miss. – The Campbell University Camels (36-17) raced out to an early 12-4 lead and held off a late rally from Samford University (35-24) to claim a 16-13 victory in an elimination game at Dudy Noble Field in the NCAA Starkville Regional. The loss ends a memorable season for the Bulldogs, who were making their third NCAA postseason appearance after winning the Southern Conference Tournament championship.     
 
THE BASICS
FINAL: Samford 11 | Campbell 16
Date/Time: Sat., June 5 | Start 2:07 p.m. | TOG: 5:18
Location: Dudy Noble Field
Series: 19^th meeting; Campbell leads 12-7; 1^st in NCAA Tournament
Records: Samford (35-24) | Campbell (36-17)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Tyler McManus's RBI single to left scored Brooks Carlson, who singled up the middle, to put Samford up 1-0 in the top of the first inning.
• The Camels erupted for five runs in the bottom of the first to take a 5-1 lead. Collin Wolf's two-RBI double down the left field line started the two-out rally. Matthew Christian followed with a double off the wall in left to score their third run of the inning and Grant Harris connected on a two-run home run to right to close out the inning.
• After a leadoff walk to Mason De La Cruz, Bryce Arnold slapped his sixth home run of the season to give the Camels a 7-1 edge in the bottom of the second.
• Taylor Garris led off the top of the third with a double off the left field wall and came in to score on Max Pinto's sac-fly to left, cutting the deficit to 7-2. After a Carlson single to center, Sonny DiChiara blasted his SoCon-leading 17^th home run of the year over the left field wall to make it 7-4.   
• Christian reached on an error to open the bottom of the third and scored off Harris's single into the corner in right. After a bunt moved Harris into scoring position, Arnold delivered his third RBIs of the game with a single to center to extend the deficit to 9-4.
• Campbell added three runs in the bottom of the fourth to push its lead to eight runs in the bottom of the fourth, 12-4.
• DiChiara delivered his second home run of the game in the top of the fifth to straight away center. After loading the bases, Towns King's sac-fly to right plated the second run of the frame. Taylor Garris drew a walk to force the third run across the plate and reduced the deficit to five, 12-7.
• Zach Neto and Spencer Packard smashed back-to-back solo home runs in the bottom of the fifth to expand the lead back to seven, 14-7.
• In the top of the sixth, the Bulldogs loaded the bases with no outs but managed a single run after grounding into a double play.
• Taylor Garris delivered a three-run bomb to left to cut the Camels' lead to three, 14-11. It was the first home run of the year for the senior from Sarasota, Florida.
• Campbell tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth to extend the lead back to five, 16-11.
• Will David led off the top of the ninth with a triple off the wall in right and Garris was hit by a pitch to put runners on to put runners on first and third while forcing Heintzman from the game for Campbell. David scored on a wild pitch from Cade Kuehler for the first run of the inning and moved Garris to second. Pinto singled through the right side to put runners on the corners again. After Pinto stole second, Garris scored on a wild pitch for Samford's second run. After back-to-back walks to Carlson and DiChiara, CU reliever Kevin Westlake struck out Tyler McManus and coaxed a double play off the bat of Crockett to end the Bulldogs' rally.             

 
ON THE MOUND

• Zach Hester (2-4, 5.82 ERA), a 6-0 senior from Vidor, Texas, made his 16^th start of the season for the Bulldogs. The right-handed pitcher took the loss after working 0.2 innings, allowing five runs on three hits with two hit batters.   
• Hamp Skinner (4-2, 5.95 ERA) came on in relief of Hester in the bottom of the first, striking out Ty Babin to end the Camels rally. The Jacksonville, Fla., native, tossed 2.0 innings while surrendering four runs, two earned, on four hits with a pair of walks and two strikeouts.
• Jesse McCord, a 6-1 senior from Spanish Fort, Ala., relieved Skinner in the third inning for Samford. The righty allowed three runs on three hits in an inning of work.
• Carson Cupo, a 6-2 senior from Leeds, Ala., was the third reliever used by the Bulldogs, taking the mound in the bottom of the fourth.
• Jalon Long replaced Cupo on the mound after the lengthy rain delay in the bottom of the fifth and promptly retired the side. The Montgomery, Ala., native,    
• Campbell's Ryan Chasse (6-2, 4.05 ERA) threw 4.1 innings in the start, giving up five runs on nine hits.
• Ty Cummings, Fred Sisco, Logan Heintzman, Cade Keuhler, and Kevin Westlake all worked in relief for the Camels. Heintzman earned the win in relief after tossing 3.0 innings and Westlake picked up the late save.      

 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE 

• McManus collected three hits on the day and drove in his team-leading 53^rd run for the Bulldogs.
• DiChiara, who finished the game 3-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored, took sole possession of the Southern Conference home run race with his 17^th and 18^th of the season in the game. The Hoover, Ala., native, also finished the year with a Samford single season record 48 walks.
• Garris closed the day 2-for-3 with a double, home run and four RBIs.
• David finished the game 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored.
• Six Camels collected at least two RBIs including three each for Arnold and Harris.   

 
SERIES/REGIONAL NOTEBOOK 

• The game was delayed in the bottom of the fifth for rain and resumed at 5:35 PM.
• The Bulldogs of Samford University are making their third appearance in the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament holding a 3-6 record all-time.
• Samford fell 8-4 in the opening game of the regional to No. 8 Mississippi State while Campbell dropped a 19-4 decision to Virginia Commonwealth.    
• The Bulldogs and Camels have met 18 previous times, as the teams were co-members of the Atlantic Sun Conference from 1995 through 2003. The teams have not met since Samford left the A-Sun for the Ohio Valley Conference following the 2003 season.