Coach Brenden Camp earns 100th career win in walk-off thriller

March 5, 2022

by Dustin Semore, Sports Information Director

PARAGOULD, Ark. – After dropping game one in Saturday's doubleheader to the Randall (Okla.) University Saints 8-0, Kole Simms walked off game two with a single to left field in the bottom of the ninth inning to secure his skipper Brenden Camp's 100th career victory in a 6-5 final.

Game One

Randall – 8

Crowley's Ridge – 0

It was a tough start at the dish in game one for the Pioneers (5-8, 0-0 CAC) who managed a lone hit, Trey Gossett's first career triple. On the hill for Crowley's Ridge was freshman Kaden Hargrove (0-1) who threw an impressive 6 1/3 innings while striking out five, only to get beaten up in the seventh inning when the Saints (4-9) plated a pair of runs to put the game out of reach for the Pioneers. 

Game Two (9)

Randall – 5

Crowley's Ridge – 6

Leading 5-0 in the top of the seventh inning, Crowley's Ridge (6-8, 0-0) nearly had victory snatched from their hands with a five-run seventh by the visitors.

The Saints (4-10) and Pioneers were both held scoreless by their respective starters, on the hill for Crowley's Ridge was JackHenry Glasgow, who pitched 6 innings in a no-decision. 

Trey Gossett's two-run single opened up the scoring in the bottom of the fifth inning after Zorey Chipman and Bobby Wright both collected singles. Gossett was not on the basepaths long, as Phoenix Beal (2) sent the offering over the left-field fence to give the hosts a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Beal again would drive in an insurance run, singling home Wright who drew an earlier one-out walk.

The Saints showed immense pressure at the plate in the top of the seventh inning, scoring five runs off of two hits. The Saints would plate three runs in the inning on bases-loaded walks issued by relievers Chipper Lamb and Andrew Brown (1-0). Brown would pick up the win in relief, throwing 3 innings and allowing one hit.

Crowley's Ridge had plenty of opportunities to walk off the game in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings when Tanner Davis's high popup fell to the turf which allowed the catcher to chug into third with a triple with one out. The Saints would then strike a batter out and coax a fly out to close the Pioneer threat. 

In the home half of the eighth inning, back-to-back hit batsmen put the winning run into scoring position with one out, but a popout to the catcher was followed by a diving catch in foul territory to keep the game alive.

Zorey Chipman led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a double to deep center field, with the Saints wanting nothing to do with Wright, intentionally walking him. Kole Simms would then send a screamer past the diving shortstop to allow Chipman to round third and plate the winning run to secure Coach Brenden Cmpa's 100th win.

Beal, Chipman, Davis, Gossett, and Simms would each collect a pair of hits, while Beal led the way by driving in three runs.

Up Next

Crowley's Ridge will allow their heart rates to return to a normal rhythm before traveling west to face the Royals of Ecclesia (Ark.) College. A four-game series in Springdale, Arkansas is scheduled to begin on Friday, March 11, with a doubleheader beginning at 2:00 p.m. wrapping up with a doubleheader starting at noon on Saturday, March 12.