Liberty baseball posted a 3-1 week at home which featured a midweek win over Campbell and a dramatic 2-1 series win over visiting FIU. The Flames improve to 11-7 in CUSA play and 21-26 overall.
WEDNESDAY: LIBERTY 14, CAMPBELL 9
Liberty scored five runs in the first inning and went on to score in every inning except the fifth, picking up a victory at Liberty Baseball Stadium. The Flames drew 15 walks and got hit by a pitch twice in the win.
First baseman John Simmons drove in a career high four runs with his fourth home run of the season and a bases clearing double. Right fielder Noah Rabon also had two hits, three RBI, and a stolen base for the Flames. Aidan Sweatt joined Simmons and Rabon with hits in the contest for the Flames. He also walked twice and scored a run. Catcher Macaddin Dye knocked out in two runs with a single, walked and scored three times.
Reliever Trey Cooper picked up the win. The fourth of seven Liberty pitchers in the game, Cooper pitched two-thirds of a scoreless innings. He struck out one and walked two.
FRIDAY GAME 1: FIU 10, LIBERTY 7
In game one of the doubleheader on Friday night at Liberty Baseball Stadium, the visiting Panthers took a commanding lead with six runs in the sixth inning to build a 9-1 advantage. The Flames scored two in the eighth and three in the ninth for the final score of 10-7.
Liberty DH Todd Hudson had three hits, a double, and a triple, and knocked out in three runs in the contest. The three hits tied a career high for Hudson. John Simmons and center fielder Kane Kepley each had two hits while Kepley also had two RBI. The Flames left 13 men based on the loss.
Flames’ starting pitcher Cole Hertzler took the loss. He gave up six runs on seven hits over five innings while striking out five and walking three.
FRIDAY GAME 2: LIBERTY 11, FIU 5
The Flames would bounce back in game two, to earn a split in the doubleheader Friday night. Liberty plated eight runs on four hits in the fourth inning to claw back from a 4-1 deficit.
Third baseman Cam Foster tied the contest with a three-run home run, his eighth of the year, and second baseman Aidan Sweatt ripped a two-run double to give the Flames the lead in the inning. Relievers Ben Blair and Garrett McLaughlin only allowed an unearned run the rest of the way in the Flames’ victory.
Shortstop Tanner Marsh had two hits, including his fourth home run of the year, and scored three times. Left fielder Brayden Horton had three hits and scored a run for the Flames. Right fielder Noah Rabon had two hits and scored a run. Sweatt had three RBI.
Blair picked up the win. The second Flame to pitch in the game, he gave up an unearned run on three hits over 3.2 innings. He struck out five and walked six. McLaughlin did not allow a hit while not allowing a run over the final 2.1 innings. He struck out two and walked two.
SATURDAY: LIBERTY 12, FIU 11
Todd Hudson pitched 2.1 scoreless innings of relief and then singled out with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth to help lift the Flames to a win in a crazy finish to the CUSA series on Saturday afternoon.
After the Flames saw the Panthers erase their five run lead with six runs in the seventh inning to take an 11-10 lead, Liberty rallied in the ninth inning for the walk off victory. The first three batters of the inning reached. FIU got the first out of the frame on a flyout to center field. As the ball was returned to the infield, Panthers first baseman Brylan West threw the ball out of play without calling timeout, allowing Flames second baseman Aidan Sweatt to score to tie the game at 11 while the winning run advanced to third.
After an intentional walk to load the bases, Hudson, who was in the game as the pitcher, followed by ripping a 2-1 pitch back through the middle of the diamond for the victory.
The Panthers jumped out to a 5-1 advantage after four innings, only two seeing Liberty bat around in both the fifth and sixth innings, scoring nine runs to take the 10-5 lead.
Hudson, who entered the game as a pinch hitter for the designated hitter in the sixth inning, had two hits and two RBI in the game. The sophomore also took over on the mound with two outs in the seventh and went on to allow only two hits over the final 2.1 innings to record his first collegiate win.
Sweatt added three hits and an RBI and scored four times. Right fielder Noah Rabon had two hits, three RBI and two runs scored for the Flames.
Up Next: The Flames will conclude their homestand on Wednesday against Virginia Tech with first pitch scheduled for 6 pm Liberty then hits the road for a tough three game series at Dallas Baptist beginning Friday at 7:30 pm
Current CUSA Standings
Western Kentucky…13-5, 31-16
Louisiana Tech……12-6, 35-15
Dallas Baptist……..12-6, 34-12
Liberty…………………11-7, 21-26
FIU…………………………..11-10, 24-22
NMSU…………………..9-12, 23-24
Sam Houston……….7-11, 27-21
Middle Tenn………….5-13, 17-30
Jax State……………..4-14, 16-29
