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BUIES CREEK, N.C. - In their first two contests of 2017, Coach Sam Douglas and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Softball team came up short as they were defeated twice at the Campbell Invitational. The Shore dropped the first game against North Carolina Central (NCCU), 6-4, while suffering a 12-4 lost versus Campbell in the nightcap.

In game one, the Hawks recorded four runs on seven hits. Sophomore MacKenzie Brown (Bayonne, N.J.) registered a multi-hit performance, going a perfect 2-of-2, while bringing home two runs. In the circle, junior Adrienne Guerra (Monrovia, Calif.) struck out eight Eagles in five innings of work.

Scoreless after three innings, The Shore's bats came alive as they scored four in the bottom half, highlighted by Brown's two-run triple and sophomore Daeshia Jones with a RBI-double.

Top five, NCCU crossed home four times and tied the contest, 4-4.

Next inning, the Eagles' Ryann Kostandin capitalized on a Hawks' miscue and drove in the go-ahead run, 5-4.

In the seventh, the Eagles' Ava Dolan gave North Carolina Central an insurance run with a solo shot over the leftfield fence, 6-4. Junior Samantha Casarez (Sylmar, Calif.) opened the bottom half with a single and moved into scoring position after a sac bunt from senior Allison Anderson (Colorado Springs, Colo.), but NCCU sat down the last two batters to hold on.

In the nightcap, Eastern Shore managed four runs while scattering four hits; however, could not slow down Campbell as they posted 12 runs on 15 hits.

The Shore scored twice in the first, but the Camels' Melissa Tullar sliced the deficit in half after a RBI-single, 2-1.

Next inning, the Hawks fell behind after Campbell drove in two runs, 3-2; however, Maryland Eastern Shore fought back.

With two outs and runners on first and second, Eastern Shore reclaimed the lead after a two-run double from Guerra, 4-3.

Bottom three, Campbell responded in a big way as they tallied six runs on seven hits to take a commanding 9-3 lead.

The following inning, Campbell kept the pressure on and scored three more times to put the contest out-of-reach, 12-4.

Tomorrow (Feb.11), Maryland Eastern Shore wraps up the weekend with two games. The club faces NC Central at 10 a.m., followed by a date with Saint Francis (Pa.) around 12:30 p.m.

For complete recaps, results and news of Hawk athletics, please visitwww.umeshawks.com .