BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Liberty's pair of two-run home runs lifted the Flames over Campbell, 4-1, Tuesday night at Jim Perry Stadium in a game that lasted two hours and nine minutes.
 
The Flames (8-4) had a two-run homer from Jaxon Sorenson in the seventh inning and another from Tucker Moore in the ninth, which proved to be all they needed to leave Buies Creek with the win. It's the first time this year a team has defeated Campbell in a midweek contest.
 
Starter Mason Smith (1-1) had a strong start on the mound for the Camels (4-8), going seven innings and allowing the two earned runs on just two hits with four strikeouts.
 
Smith faced the minimum batters through his first 5.2 innings of work. He allowed only two baserunners in the first five frames, and both runners were thrown out by Andrew Schuldt attempting to take second base.
 
Jack Frankel (1-1) was first out of the bullpen for Liberty to start the fifth inning, and he earned his first win of the year after going 3.2 innings with four strikeouts and allowing Campbell's lone run to score.
 
Dylan Mathiesen started on the mound for Liberty, lasting four innings with five strikeouts. He also faced the minimum through three innings, giving up his first hit in the fourth when Jonah Oster singled up the middle.
 
Following Oster's single, Schuldt singled and Jackson Thompson walked to load the bases with one out. That's as far as the danger went, as Joey Morton grounded into a 6-3 double play.
 
Both pitching staffs were aided by strong defensive play from their infields, highlighted by Oster's glove-flip to first base in the fourth inning.
 
The Flames got their first hit off Smith in the seventh inning when Tanner Marsh led off the frame with a single through the left side. Sorenson followed with his home run to right center on a 1-2 count to put Liberty up, 2-0.
 
Ethan Snyder pitched the eighth inning for Campbell, and after loading the bases, he struck out clean-up hitter Nick Barone to prevent more runs.
 
Campbell's lone run came in the eighth inning after Jett Music and Charlie Meglio led off the inning with a double and a single to put runners at the corners with no outs.
 
After Andrew Keller fouled out to left field, Ben Karpowicz came up to pinch hit. He hit a sharp ground ball to third, and he raced down the line to beat the double-play ball while Music came in to score.
 
Liberty added insurance runs with its second two-run blast with two outs in the ninth inning, when Moore sent one over the wall in left center to score Riley DeCandido off Campbell reliever Drew Siegner.  
Garrett McLaughlin pitched the final 1.1 innings for Liberty, earning his first save of the season. He retired Campbell's batters in order in the bottom of the ninth with a strikeout and two groundouts to the second baseman to end the game.
 
UP NEXT
The Camels head to Raleigh tomorrow for their first road game since opening weekend for a game against NC State (7-5), who defeated UNC Greensboro on Tuesday night, 10-0. The game is scheduled to begin at 3:00 and broadcast on ACCNX.
 
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