COLUMBUS, Ga.-Sophomore Kyle Norville earned his first collegiate win as the Barton baseball team upset No. 27 nationally ranked Columbus State University 3-2 in Saturday's second game at Ragsdale Field. CSU won game one 5-0.
The Bulldogs (3-7) and the Cougars (5-4) will play the rubber game Sunday at Noon. Norville's complete-game win provided Barton its first road victory of the season. Columbus State is currently ranked No. 27 by ABCA and No. 19 by College Baseball Lineup.
GAME ONE: #27 Columbus State 5, Barton 0
CSU senior starter Thomas Campbell (Mt. Airy, Ga.) held Barton to just two hits as the Bulldogs were shutout for the first time this season.
Campbell (2-1) went the distance, only allowing two singles to BC sophomore catcher Clay Martin (Pittsboro, N.C.). The 6-2 right-hander yielded two walks and fanned seven Bulldog batters.
Martin ended any threat of a no-hitter early with a single to right in the third. Martin's second base knock was an infield single to the shortstop.
Barton senior starter Hunter Meekins (Manteo, N.C.) gave up a solo homer to junior Ryan Lewis (Snellville, Ga.) in the bottom of the first but then settled down to pitch the complete game. Meekins only allowed two earned runs over eight strong innings.
Another solo home run by senior Bruce Alter (Montgomery, Ala.) in the seventh doubled up the hosts' advantage. CSU took advantage of two Bulldog errors in the eighth to plate its final three unearned runs.
GAME TWO: Barton 3, #27 Columbus State 2
Norville bounced back from the blown save opportunity he had earlier in the week against Francis Marion University with gem on the mound in Saturday's nightcap.
The 6-4 lefty from Tarboro, N.C., scattered seven hits and only allowed one earned run for his first collegiate win. Norville – a Conference Carolinas Pitcher of the Week honoree earlier in the season – boasts a 2.28 ERA in five appearances.
Barton touched CSU senior starter Iain Sebastian (Columbus, Ga.) for three runs and held off a late rally by the Cougars. Columbus State had two runners on base with one out in the bottom of the seventh but Norville worked out of the jam.
Sophomore Zac Crumpler (Wilson, NC.) started the Bulldogs scoring with an RBI double down the left-field line in the second. Senior Jordan Smith (Longmont, Colo.) followed with a sacrifice fly.
Crumpler and Smith joined forces once again in the fourth to score Barton's eventual game-winning run. Crumpler started the two-out rally with his second double and then scored as Smith laced a triple into the right-field gap.
Lewis broke up Norville's shutout bid with his second long ball of the afternoon in the fourth. Lewis' third homer of the season cleared the left field fence. CSU closed the final gap to one with an unearned run in the sixth.
Crumpler and sophomore classmate Phillip Williams (Gibson, N.C.) both went 2-for-3. Smith drove in Crumpler and Williams for his team-high two RBI.
