SPARTANBURG, S.C. – No. 14 Campbell lost its first series opener since Feb. 25, 2022 in a 9-4 loss to USC Upstate Thursday night. Campbell allowed an eight-run eighth inning to give Upstate the lead and break the game open. The Camels now have just a one-game lead on the Spartans with two regular season games to play.
 
The loss drops Campbell to 41-11, 21-4 on the year, while Upstate moves to 35-19, 20-5 in the league. The loss also snaps a 10-game win streak against the Spartans going back to 2021.
 
Campbell strung together three singles to go up 1-0 in the first on an RBI single from Jarrod Belbin. The Spartans got that run back on a wild pitch in the third to even things at 1-1.
 
Despite the low scores, neither starting pitcher was particularly efficient. Upstate starter Reese Dutton worked 4.2 innings throwing 105 pitches. Kuehler went four innings in his first start since Apr. 21 and threw 67 pitches, walking five.
 
The damage was minimal from those five walks, allowing only one hit with them and stranding five on base. He finished with a line of 4.0 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 2 K.
 
Lawson Harrill made Campbell history on a two-run blast to left in the fifth, his 20^th of the season. He is just the fourth Camel to ever hit 20 in a season, and only the second since 1985.
 
Harrill continued climbing in the record books with his second homer of the night in the seventh to move into sole possession of third place all time. His pair of home runs had Campbell up 4-1 at the stretch.
 
Campbell had additional chances to score but left the bases loaded in the second and sixth innings and left 13 total on base for the game.
 
Upstate's big inning came in the eighth, scoring eight runs on five hits, two errors, and three walks. Tied 4-4, the big blow came on a two-out grand slam from Cole Caruso. Six of the eight runs were scored unearned.
 
There was nothing doing for the Camels in the ninth, as they fell 9-4.
 
Arnold, Belbin, and Harrill all had two hits as Campbell out-hit the Spartans 9-7.
 
Campbell will look to bounce back tomorrow at 5 p.m. Hunter Loyd is expected to take the mound for Campbell.