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LYNCHBURG, VA. – Heath Bowers broke Campbell career wins and strikeout records on the way to a 3-2 victory for the visiting Camels Friday night at Liberty.
Bowers picked up his 27th career win, topping Cory Satterfield's (1985-88) 27 year old record. The Lillington, N.C. native also entered the night with 258 career strikeouts, tied with Wes Hepler (1999-02). Bowers wasted no time, striking out his first batter for the record.
The senior righthander worked eight innings, allowing two runs, both earned, on eight hits with nine strikeouts and no walks, improving to 6-2 on the season. Bowers punched out at least nine for the third time this season.
Cole Hallum entered the game in the ninth and struck out the side for his seventh save.
The duo combined for 12 strikeouts and no walks, notching the team's seventh double-digit strikeout game, and the team's fourth outing without issuing a walk.
Jared Lyons (5-1) took his first loss of the season, allowing three runs, two earned, on nine hits with five strikeouts and no walks. Alex Close pitched three innings in relief, surrendering two hits with two strikeouts for the Flames.
Campbell improved to 25-10 on the season with an 8-5 Big South mark, while Liberty dipped to 21-13 overall and 7-3 in conference play.
Liberty struck first in the contest, with Becker Sankey doubling in Dalton Britt, who led off the inning with a double.
The Flames took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth when Sammy Taormina's two out single plated Alex Close.
The Camels stranded two in the first, third and fourth before breaking through in the top of the fifth. Cedric Mullins reached on an error to lead off the frame, moving to second on Steven Leonard's sacrifice bunt. Kyle Leady's base hit put Camels on the corners with one away before Seth LaRue tied it up with a RBI single to center.
Still knotted at 2-all in the top of the seventh, Leonard doubled for his third hit of the game to start it off, and scored when Kyle Leady tripled, giving CU the 3-2 edge.
Leonard was 3-for-4 on the night with a run, while Leady went 4-for-5 with a RBI and a run scored.
Close and Britt both were 2-for-4 with a run for Liberty.
Games two and three of the set will continue at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. in Lynchburg, Va.
Sunday's game will be nationally televised on ESPNU, while Saturday's action can be seen on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app. You can also Saturday's game on the Big South Network.
Campbell will head to Elon on Tuesday, April 14, before returning to Jim Perry Stadium, hosting Charleston Southern for the weekend.
