CAMPBELL -- Sophomore Landon Zoll came through in the clutch.
The Bernie third baseman's two-run, two-out base hit in the sixth inning broke a 1-all tie Friday and helped deliver the Mules a 6-1 victory over Campbell.
"I was just looking off speed," Zoll said of the 0-2 pitch, "but I got a fastball and I was able to put it in play and get the job done."
Bernie coach Marcus Massey said that Zoll needed a clutch hit.
"That was nice for him to get in that situation and succeed a little bit," Massey said. "Hopefully, (he'll) gain some confidence going forward, but that was key. It was kind of after that hit, the air was lifted. We felt like all the pressure was off our shoulders and off our backs."
Weston Zoll opened the sixth with a single up the middle, and Wyatt Barnett drew a one-out walk. With two outs, John Nimmo reached base on a throwing error by the third baseman. Weston Zoll scored on the play.
The Mules (8-2) scored three more runs in the seventh. Noah Foster drew a leadoff walk, and Luke Tanner singled to right. With two outs, pitcher Jacob Vines intentionally walked Barnett to load the bases.
Jaden McGowan followed with a two-run single, and Nimmo, who went 2 for 4, greeted relief pitcher Blake Fowler with a run-scoring single to right field.
Barnett pitched around a two-out base hit by Gordon Todd and a walk in the bottom of the seventh to earn the victory.
The senior right-hander allowed one run on eight hits with four strikeouts and one walk in seven innings.
"He pitched a great game. He did. He had his good stuff today," Landon Zoll said.
Barnett benefited from strong defense behind him, as the Mules turned three double plays and shortstop Weston Zoll made a tough play to his left to end the sixth inning.
"(Defense is) something coach always stresses," Landon Zoll said, "so we always do that in practice so when we're out in games, we know we can get it done."
Massey said the defense kept the Mules in the game early.
"We could have easily got down early," Massey said. "We were down one early, but it could've easily been worse than that if our defense (didn't play) so well. Just fortunate enough, we turned (those double plays) today. Hopefully, we can count on that every day, but we'll see."
Vines held the Mules scoreless for five innings, striking out seven batters through the first three innings.
"We came out and I thought we were a little too patient," Massey said. "Their pitcher was coming in pumping strikes, and we were taking too many pitches. Then he'd get us down. He'd be ahead in the count, and we were kind of at his mercy.
"Later in the game, we started coming out and jumping on those (pitches early in the count). Eventually in the sixth, we got to him."
Vines allowed six runs (three earned) on five hits with 10 strikeouts and three walks in 6 2/3 innings.
Campbell, who had beaten the Mules 4-0 Tuesday, took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning with a two-out rally. Fowler singled to left field and advanced to second base on Logan Schatz's single to center. Fowler stole third and scored on a passed ball.