WILMINGTON, N.C. – Right fielder Lawson Harrill tied the program record with his 50^th career home run, but the Fighting Camels lost to UNCW, 8-7, in a game with four lead changes Friday night at Brooks Field.

The Camels (27-17, 8-11 CAA) put runners in scoring position in each of the first two innings, but they were unable to cash in.

The Seahawks (30-16, 15-4 CAA) scored three in the second inning with two RBI singles. Early in the inning, a Seahawk batter reached on a strike three wild pitch. The would-be out would have ended the inning before any runs were scored.

Harrill's milestone shot came in the third inning on a 3-2 pitch with two outs. He tied John Posey (1984-86) and matched his season total from last year with his 22nd. The home run scored Payton Howard, who reached on a walk earlier in the inning.

The Camels took the lead in the top of the fifth inning with a two-run shot by Reed Stallman, his 11^th long shot of the season.

UNCW took the lead back with two runs in the bottom of the frame, thanks to back-to-back RBI doubles from Tanner Thach and Trevor Marsh. The Campbell defense stopped the scoring there, and it was 5-4 in favor of the Seahawks after five innings.

Starter Cole Peschl went six innings for the Camels, recording seven strikeouts and allowing five hits and five earned runs.

Peschl did not record a decision on the day, as the Camels scored once in the top of the seventh to tie the game. Braeden O'Shaughnessy singled to start the inning, then stole second to get into scoring position with one out.

O'Shaughnessy moved up to third because of an error on a pickoff attempt. Howard singled to right to score O'Shaughnessy and tie the game at 5-5.  

Packy Bradley-Cooney entered the game to start the bottom of the seventh in relief of Peschl. He retired the first two batters with groundouts, then a double from Marsh and a wild pitch put the go-ahead run on third base. Bradley-Cooney chased Alec DeMartino with a 3-2 breaking ball to get out of danger.

Andrew Schuldt and Charlie Meglio led off the eighth inning with a hit-by-pitch and a single to put runners on the corners with no outs. Meglio stole second, and O'Shaughnessy laced a ball to the wall in left center for his third hit of the game and put the Camels up, 7-5.

Jackson Roberts took over on the mound in the eighth inning. He got two of the first three batters out, but two consecutive RBI doubles tied the game at 7-7. Thach followed with an RBI single to right but was out at second trying to extend the play. The run scored, putting the Seahawks up by one to finish the eighth.

The Camels were unable to put any pressure on in the ninth, as UNCW closer Luke Craig struck out the side to earn his fourth save of the year.

UP NEXT

The teams are back at it tomorrow for the second game of the series, beginning at 6:00 on FloSports.

Follow the Camels on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for up-to-date information and content throughout the year.