The Valparaiso University baseball team continued to show an ability to pile up runs against a nationally-ranked opponent, but No. 21 Campbell rode a 10-run fifth inning to an 18-7, seven-inning victory in Sunday’s series finale in Buies Creek, N.C. Kyle Schmack (Wanatah, Ind. / South Central) homered in his father Brian’s 500^th game as Valpo head coach, while Kevin Denty (Tinley Park, Ill. / Marian Catholic) collected a team-high two hits.

How It Happened

• Valpo got off to a fast start as Kyle ripped a home run to right in the opening frame.
• The Fighting Camels fought back with six runs in the bottom of the first, sending 11 men to the plate. The Valpo starting pitcher exited after just 1/3 of an inning. Griffin McCluskey (Normal, Ill. / Normal Community) came in and minimized the damage, getting the final two outs of the inning in short order.
• Campbell picked up a run without the benefit of a hit in the second, extending the lead to 7-1.
• Valpo exploded for five runs in the third, chasing not only the starter, but also the first man out of the bullpen from the game. The first four batters of the inning walked, including Brady Renfro (Antigo, Wis. / Antigo), whose free pass came with the bags full and forced in a run. Connor Giusti (Hoffman Estates, Ill. / Fremd [Wisconsin Oshkosh]) lifted a sacrifice fly to make it 7-3. Kevin Denty (Tinley Park, Ill. / Marian Catholic), Carson Husmann (Hanna, Ind. / South Central [Bradley]) and Alex Ryan (Lake Mills, Wis. / Lakeside Lutheran) put together a string of singles, each of them driving in a run. Ryan’s RBI shrunk the Campbell lead to one at 7-6.
• Grant Knipp hit his nation-leading 14^th home run of the season in the third to make it 8-6.
• The Beacons inserted another new pitcher for the fourth as Trent Turzenski (Burlington, Wis. / Burlington) took over on the bump. He walked three (one intentionally) but escaped without any damage done as Campbell left them loaded.
• Valpo slimmed the lead back down to one in the top of the fifth as Liam Patton (Barrington, Ill. / Warsaw [Wabash]) lifted a sacrifice fly.
• Andrew Schuldt of Campbell hit two different three-run homers in the fifth inning, accounting for six of the 10 runs scored by the Camels in that frame to open the lead to 11 at 18-7.
• Valpo’s Josh Spencer (Woodinville, Wash. / Woodinville [Tacoma]) pitched a scoreless sixth, but Valpo did not score in the top of the seventh and the 10-run rule came into play.

Inside the Game

• Kyle’s home run was the 24^th of his collegiate career and his sixth this season. He moved into sole possession of fourth in program history. He broke a tie with Joe Gersna (1982-1985).
• Brian became just the third skipper in program history to manage 500 career games, joining Paul Twenge (1,011, 1988-2006) and the legendary Emory G. Bauer (606, 1954-1981).
• Valpo pitching issued 14 walks, the team’s third straight game with seven or more after entering the weekend among the national leaders in walks per nine innings.
• Denty’s multi-hit game was his fourth of the season, tied for the second most on the team.
• The Beacon bats produced seven runs or more in two of the three games against the Camels.
• Senior Kaleb Hannahs (West Terre Haute, Ind. / West Vigo) walked to extend his season-long on-base streak to 18.

Up Next

Valpo (7-11) will open the home portion of the season on Tuesday at Emory G. Bauer Field as instate foe Ball State comes to town for a 3 p.m. first pitch. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.