Baseball sweeps #15 Camden CC

VINELAND - It was another crucial weekend series for Dukes Baseball as they took on the Camden CC Cougars in a crucial matchup that may decide playoff seeding.

In Game 1 in Blackwood, the Dukes came out hot with a 2-run first inning delivered by a 2-out 2-RBI single by Cole Shover. Camden would go on to score 5 unanswered runs over the next 3 innings before the Dukes would strike for 3 in the top of the 4th inning.  Two walks and a single by Chase Montgomery would load the bases before Brinden Floyd would make it 5-3 on a sacrifice fly. Tyler Bunting would follow with a 2-run single to tie the game at 5.  The Cougars would score a single run in their half of the 4th to take a 6-5 lead that would hold until the 8th inning. Angel Rodriguez would drill a leadoff double into the right centerfield gap that would be followed by a David Rivas single and a walk by Ty Powell.  Floyd then hit a hard groundball that was misplayed by the Camden shortstop that would lead to two runs scoring.  Bunting would follow with a booming double to centerfield to clear the bases to make it 9-6.  Joey Gallagher was brilliant in relief of starter Austin Wokock.  Gallagher would throw 4 scoreless innings in relief and earn the win.

Game 2 was all Dukes as Kory Jenkins got the party started with a 2-run blast in the 2nd inning to start the scoring. Tyler Bunting and Cole Shover would each tally RBI singles in the 3rd innings to extend the lead to 5-0.  After the Cougars scored twice in the 5th inning, the Dukes used a 7-run 6th inning as they took advantage of multiple defensive miscues by the Cougars to seal the 12-5 victory.  Shover, Tyler Schoppe, and Angel Rodriguez each tallied two hits and score 5 runs combined.  Ryan Beebe earned the win to bring his record to 2-2.

Game 3 mirrored game 2 as Tyler Schoppe delivered a 2-run HR to start the scoring for the Dukes.  After giving up a run in the 2nd inning, the Dukes would score 2 runs in the 3rd inning thanks to an RBI single by Schoppe and a sacrifice fly by Kory Jenkins.  They would score once more in the 4th inning as a leadoff single by Jimmy Gallo who would then be driven in on an RBI single by Ty Powell.  Joey Kurtz earned the win on the mound as ge went 6 innings, striking out 6 batters, gave up 2 runs and scattered 3 hits.  Dmitri Santiago earned the save as he came on in the 7th inning to seal the 5-3 with 2 strikeouts in the final frame.