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BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell broke through with a two run fourth and held on behind eight innings from Nick Thayer, taking a 2-1 series opening win over visiting Liberty Friday night at Jim Perry Stadium.

The Camels moved to 19-16 overall and 6-3 in Big South play with the win, while Liberty dropped to 19-16 on the season and 5-5 in conference games.

Thayer (6-3), a senior from Overland Park, Kan., scattered six hits, allowing an unearned run while striking out a season-best 10 and walking two in eight innings. He picked up strikeouts to end the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings in the win, leaving the bases loaded in the third.

Erik Dowse earned the save, his third of the season, striking out two with a walk in the ninth.

Victor Cole (3-3) took the loss, pitching a complete game with two runs, both earned, on just two hits with nine strikeouts and five walks. Cole allowed his first hit of the night in the fourth and another in the eighth.

The Camels' first hit came with two on and none out in the fourth, a double from Matt Parrish to score Anthony Lopez for the game's first run. Drew Butler's sacrifice fly two batters later tacked on another run, scoring Brian Taylor.

Campbell held the 2-0 lead until the top of the eighth, when Will Shepherd and Andrew Yacyk led off the frame with base hits. Shepherd scored on a CU error with runners on the corners, cutting the lead in half before a strikeout and a groundout ended the inning.

Dowse entered in the ninth, fanning his first two batters, and following with a walk and a fly out to close out the win.

The series continues Saturday with a 3 p.m. start, closing Sunday with a 2 p.m. first pitch.

Campbell will head to UNCW on April 19 for the first of a season-long six straight games on the road.