CHAPEL HILL, NC – Jadeyn Merrill (Lamesa, TX/Lamesa) had three hits in the Broncs' first game of the day and Kristyn Gardner (Perryville, MD/Perryville) homered and drove in two, but the Rider University softball team fell to Campbell (4-3) and host North Carolina (8-0, F/5) on the first day of the Mizuno Invitational Friday. With the losses, the Broncs fall to 3-4, while the Camels and Tar Heels improved to 6-11 and 14-2, respectively.

The Broncs opened the scoring against Campbell with three-straight singles to open the inning from Kendall Reda-Fehsal (Succasunna, NJ/Roxbury), Merrill and Olivia Burroughs (Escondido, CA/San Pasqual), before a Gardner groundout scored Reda-Fehsal to make it 1-0 after an inning and a half.

The Camels edged ahead, 2-1, with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. A leadoff triple and an error on the play tied the game, before Campbell took the lead on a double and a stolen base, with an error on the play allowing the runner from third to score. The Broncs then tied the game in the top of the sixth on a Gardner solo home run. But the Camels pieced together a two-out rally with two singles and a two-run double to retake the 4-2 lead. The Broncs got a run back, with an Amanda Cooper (Huntsville, TX/Huntsville) walk and a Tristen Wren (Rancho Cucamonga, CA/Etiwanda) single putting runners on the corners with one out. Merrill's two-out RBI single again left runners on the corners, while cutting the deficit to 4-3. But the Camels recorded the final out to secure the victory.

Against North Carolina, the Tar Heels got an unearned run to open the scoring in the bottom of the second. A walk came around to score following a bunt single that resulted in an errant throw to first that sailed down the right field line, allowing the run to score from first. The Tar Heels added a single run on a bunt single and a double in the third and tacked on three more on a two-run home run and an RBI single in the fourth to push the lead to 5-0.

The Tar Heels would add three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on three hits and an error to enact the mercy rule.

Notes
- Fallyn Stoeckel (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) went the full 6.0 innings against Campbell, taking the loss. She allowed four runs, three earned, on seven hits without walking a batter. She struck out three.
- Anna-Marie Groskritz (Granby, CT/Granby) started against UNC and went 4.0-plus innings. She allowed eight runs, six earned, on 10 hits and two walks.
- Jessie Niegocki (Marana, CA/Mountain View) came on in relief against the Tar Heels and faced two batters, recording one out.

Broncs by the Numbers
- Merrill went 3-for-4 with an RBI against Campbell.
- Gardner went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI's against the Camels.
- Reda-Fehsal singled and scored a run against Campbell.
- Niegocki, Wren, Burroughs, and Kiersten Buchanan (Holly Springs, NC/Holly Springs) each added a hit against the Camels.
- Cooper also scored a run against Campbell.
- Maddie Luedtke (Gibbstown, NJ/Gloucester County Institute of Technology) had the Broncs' lone hit against North Carolina.

Up Next
The Broncs return to Mizuno Invitational action Saturday, when they face Lafayette at 4 p.m.