In a down-to-the-wire game, the North Carolina baseball team (28-17), lost to the No. 13 Campbell Camels (32-10), 6-5, Tuesday night at Boshamer Stadium.
What happened?
The Camels scored first, as Drew Winters blasted a two-run homer over the head of first-year outfielder Casey Cook to give Campbell a 2-0 lead in the second frame.
Carter French got his first RBI of the season in his first start, with a single to center field. The Florida native has seen the outfield in recent games but not much time at the plate until tonight, taking left field for the injured Patrick Alverez.
First-year pitcher Cameron Padgett remained on the mound for 2.2 innings and was relieved by graduate Kevin Eaise. The Camels found home plate once again with two outs in the third frame.
The Tar Heels bounced back and found their offense mojo in the third as sophomore outfielder Vance Honeycutt drew a walk and junior Mac Horvath advanced to first on an error by the shortstop. Honeycutt and Horvath — who lead the Tar Heels in bases stolen — stole second and third, respectively, and were hit in on a single by junior first baseman Hunter Stokely to tie the game. Catcher Tomas Frick gave the Tar Heels the lead as he proceeded to bat Stokley home on a 415-foot home run to left field.
Defensive diving heroics at second base by Van De Brake helped the Tar Heels make it out of the fifth frame unscathed, going three up and three down with junior Ben Peterson on the mound.
The Camels found their fighting spirit in the top of the seventh frame when Bryce Arnold blasted a two-run homer to left field to tie the game at 5-5.
With the game coming down to the wire, Campbell loaded the bases in the top of the ninth with no outs on a double, a bunt and a hit by pitch. After one run scored on a hit by pitch, the Diamond Heels called on graduate pitcher Nick Pry to get them out of the jam. The key to escaping the inning with one run however was Frick, who completed a double play at the plate all by himself.
