BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell's late rally fell just short of overcoming UConn, as the Camels fell 6-5 to open the series Friday night at Jim Perry Stadium.
 
The Huskies (6-8) scored all six of their runs in the fourth inning, and their bullpen prevented a late rally from the Camels (6-11), who were looking for the come-from-behind win. The Camels are now 1-4 in one-run games this season.
 
UConn did all their damage with six hits in the fourth inning on Campbell starter Jake Murray, who now holds a 1-2 record on the year after tonight.
 
The first two batters in the frame singled to center field, and Grant MacArthur scored both with an RBI double to right center. The next batter, Bryan Padilla, drew a walk to put two runners on again with no outs.
 
Aidan Dougherty was the next batter up, and he laid down a bunt to the third base side. Charlie Meglio attempted a bare-handed play on the run, but his throw was late and off-target, allowing the runners to advance one more base and score MacArthur.
 
Sam Biller followed with an RBI single, and Connor Lane put down a sac bunt to score two more runs. UConn's final run of the frame came on an RBI single from Tyler Minick.
 
Minick, Biller and Ryan Daniels led the Huskies with two hits apiece, and MacArthur led the team with two RBI.
 
Murray went on the finish the inning and pitch the fifth, finishing with 5.0 innings, five strikeouts, eight hits and six runs, all earned. UConn starter Oliver Pudvar (2-0) earned his second win of the year after throwing six innings with eight strikeouts, three hits and one run.
 
The Camels started the scoring with a solo home run from Meglio in the third inning, his second of the season. The blast traveled 417 feet over the wall in left center, becoming the longest home run from a Camel batter this season.
 
Meglio had two hits and scored three runs, while Dalen Thompson recorded three hits to lead the Camels.
 
Lleyton Grubich was the only batter out of the bullpen for the Camels, throwing the final four innings and allowing no hits. He tallied five strikeouts and just one walk and no runs to go along with zero hits.
 
After Pudvar left the mound for UConn, Campbell put the pressure on the Huskies' bullpen with three runs in the seventh. After the first two batters of the frame were retired, Jackson Thompson and Meglio drew back-to-back hit-by-pitches. Darnell Parker Jr. laced a 2-2 pitch down the left field line for a double, scoring both runners.
 
Frank Spirito IV was the first pitcher out of the pen, and he was replaced by Jude Abbadessa after Parker Jr.'s double. D. Thompson kept the pressure on with a double of his own off the wall in right, bringing home Parker Jr. and cutting the UConn lead to two, 6-4.
 
Grubich faced the minimum in the eighth and ninth innings, recording three of his five strikeouts, to give the Campbell offense a chance in the final frame.
 
Meglio and D. Thompson singled to put two runners on base with two outs in the ninth. Down to his final strike, Jonah Oster landed a single in right field, scoring Meglio from second base and advancing Thompson to third.
 
Andrew Schuldt drew a walk to load the bases with two outs before a ground ball to the second base ended the game.
 
UP NEXT
The teams have adjusted their weekend schedule to move away from Sunday, and they will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1:00. Game three of the series will follow 40 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. Both games will be streamed on FloCollege.
 
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