BUIES CREEK, N.C. - The Ohio baseball team fell victim to an eight-run ninth by Campbell Friday afternoon, dropping the season-opener 18-17 at Taylor Field.

In Ohio?s highest scoring output since plating 20 against Toledo in 2003, Brian White?s second-career grand slam gave the Bobcats a 17-10 cushion heading into the home half of the ninth, but couldn?t close the door as the host Fighting Camels rallied for their third victory of the season.

Campbell (3-1) got on the scoreboard first, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first but the Bobcats (0-1) answered quickly with three tallies in the second. Three straight singles by White (Frankfort, Ohio), Jared Willis (Logan W.Va.), and Ryan Planck (Canton, Ohio) got things going and an error by Campbell?s Nate Logan on the latter allowed White and Willis to cross. A fielder?s choice on contact by Bryant Witt (Powell, Ohio) scored Planck to give Ohio its first edge at 3-2.

After the Camels tied things up at 3-3, Ohio went ahead again as a Witt fielder?s choice plated White. The lead didn?t hold up long as Campbell matched the Bobcats? second inning output with three runs to take a 6-4 advantage in the fourth.

With Phil Sabatini (Oakmont, Pa.) on with a lead-off double in the Bobcat?s fifth, Ben Crabtree (Roxbury, Conn.) cranked a two-run shot over the left field wall to knot the contest at 6-6 and force a Campbell pitching change. The Bobcats regained the lead in the sixth with doubles by Willie Walker (Marysville, Ohio) and Brian Colopy (Columbus, Ohio) and RBI singles by Sabatini and Anthony Gressick (Lancaster, Ohio) pushing Ohio ahead 9-6.

Following two runs by the Camels in the bottom half of the sixth which closed the book on Bobcat starter Derek Witt (Powell, Ohio), Ohio exploded for four tallies before the seventh inning stretch. Dusty Hammond (Bellefontaine, Ohio) drew a pass to first after being hit by a pitch followed by a bunt single from Bryan Buck (Hudson, Ohio). A bases loaded walk to Colopy forced home Hammond with the second run of the inning on a passed ball. Gressick then doubled off the wall in left center to send in Colopy and Witt, giving the Bobcats a 13-8 advantage.

A two-run homer by Campbell?s Mike Priest closed the gap to three at 13-10 in the bottom of the eighth and chased Ohio reliever Rob Harmon (Villa Hills, Ky.), but White?s grand slam in the top half of the ninth seemingly put the Bobcats in a comfortable position to gain their first victory of the season. With Luke Howard (Lebanon, Ohio) on to close things out, the Camels? Jeff Blick sent a two-run shot over the left field wall to get the rally started. With the Camels already batting around the order and the contests tied at 17-17, Daniel Utts (Circleville, Ohio) came on in relief for Ohio. The Bobcat hurler loaded the bases with a walk to Blick and four-straight balls to Joe Anthonsen pushed home the winning run for Campbell.

?We just couldn?t finish,? said Bobcat Head Coach Joe Carbone. ?We were in position, but couldn?t close the door.?

White finished 2-3 at the plate with four RBIs, two walks, and three runs scored to lead the Bobcat offensive effort. Gressick added a 2-5 performance with three RBIs while Sabatini added two hits, a walk, and three runs scored. Priest was 5-6 with four RBIs to power the Camels.

?I thought we swung the bats pretty well and played pretty decent defense for getting out on the field for the first time,? said Carbone.

Howard took the loss for the Bobcats while Lincoln Smith picked up the victory in relief for Campbell. Ohio starter Derek Witt pitched 5 2/3, giving up six earned runs and striking out three.

The 35 combined runs are the most in a game that Ohio has been involved in since the Bobcats and Buffalo totaled 39 on April 28, 2002. Ohio?s 17 runs were also the most in a season-opening contest since they put up a 30-0 tally against Furman in 1979.

The Bobcats will return to Taylor Field for a double header against Campbell on Saturday. The first game is set to get underway at noon. Dan O'Rourke will get the nod in the first game and Gressick will make his first start on the mound since 2003 in the rubber game.