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BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Nick Thayer turned in five no hit innings and Cedric Mullins went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead Campbell over No. 25 Coastal Carolina 5-2 Saturday at Jim Perry Stadium.
Campbell (31-22, 12-11 Big South) clinched the Big South series over the Chanticleers (34-18, 16-7 Big South), taking a wild opener 10-9 Thursday night.
Thayer (6-5), a junior right-hander, worked five innings without a hit in a scheduled short start, striking out four and walking two. The Overland Park, Kan. native faced two over the minimum, stranding Chanticleers in the four and fifth after two out walks each innings.
Coastal picked up its first hit of the day when Michael Paez singled to center with one out in the sixth.
Grant Yost picked up the save, his first of the season, tossing three innings with a run on three hits and two punchouts. Coley Thompkins bridged the gap with a run on a hit and a walk in an inning.
Shane Sawczak (3-4) was charged with the loss for the Chanticleers, allowing two runs on eight hits with three strikeouts. Brock Hunter pitched three frames, allowing three runs, two earned, on three hits with two strikeouts and a walk.
The Camels and Chanticleers faced a scoreless game through 4 ½ innings before Campbell plated two in the bottom of the fifth. Brian Taylor led off the inning with a single, and after moving to second on Austin Beard's sacrifice bunt, Cedric Mullins doubled him home.
With two away in the inning, Kyle Leady singled to right, scoring Mullins and giving Campbell a 2-0 lead.
Coastal answered in the sixth with a Connor Owings sacrifice fly.
In the home half of the seventh, Campbell put up three, beginning with Steven Leonard's RBI hit. Mullins then scored on a CCU error, and Kyle Leady tacked on a run with a base hit up the middle to make it 5-1 Camels.
An Owings RBI single to score David Perrett was all for Coastal in the eighth, and Yost notched a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the 5-2 Campbell win.
Mullins was 3-for-4 with a RBI, two runs and two doubles, while Leady drove in two, going 2-for-4.
Paez was 2-for-4 for the Chanticleers, while Owings picked up two RBI, going 1-for-2 with a walk and a sacrifice fly.
Saturday's finale between the Camels and the Chanticleers will be broadcast live by the American Sports Network. For a full list of networks carrying the national broadcast, click here.
Campbell's eight seniors will be recognized prior to Saturday's game, including Austin Beard, Heath Bowers, Seth LaRue, Kyle Leady, Travis Long, Sam Rector, Coley Thompkins and Bobby Thorson.
The Camels will also recognize several alumni prior to first pitch.
The Camels will begin play in the 2015 Big South Championship on Tuesday, May 19. The tournament will be hosted by Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs, N.C., running May 19-23.
