When the day began, the Flames faced a seemingly impossible challenge – needing to win 3 consecutive games to secure the ASUN Championship and automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. By the end of the day Saturday, Liberty had secured two of those wins and needs just one more to win the 2019 ASUN baseball championship in the program’s first season in its new league.
The day started with 2-seed Liberty facing 4-seed Jacksonville in the loser’s bracket championship game and a rematch from Thursday night’s Flames’ loss, 9-6, in extra innings. Just like Thursday night, Liberty fell behind 2-0 and was once again forced to make a comeback, which they did, scoring 5 runs on 6 hits in the 6th inning to seize control of the game.
Landon Riley picked up the win after entering the contest in the 5th inning and shutting down the Dolphins’ bats the final 4+ innings to close out the victory. It was the sophomore’s longest outing of his career.
Less than an hour after eliminating Jacksonville and advancing to the ASUN title bout, the Flames were tasked with going back out in the hot Florida sun. Liberty skipper Scott Jackson handed the ball to Noah Skirrow to start the game, and he held Stetson’s bats in check, keeping them scoreless for 3 innings. Logan Barker came on in relief, and through the first 7 innings, Barker and Skirrow held the Hatters to just one run.
Liberty broke a scoreless tie in the top of the 3rd inning when Gray Betts singled in Ben Highfill and Cam Locklear’s sacrifice fly brought in Jalen Guy, giving the good guys a 2-0 advantage. Stetson picked up one run to cut the margin in half in the 5th inning.
The Flames scored 4 runs in the 6th inning thanks to three walks with the bases loaded. With a comfortable 6-1 lead, Liberty cruised to the final margin of 6-3, only surrendering a 2-run homerun in the 8th inning before Cole Garrett came in to pitch a scoreless 9th inning.
With the two wins on Saturday, Liberty improves its record to 41-19, the 4th time in program history the Flames have won 41 or more games in a single season. The school record for wins in a season is 43, set in 2014.
Liberty improves to 3-1 against the defending ASUN champs, Stetson, on the season with the all-decisive winner-take-all matchup pending with first pitched scheduled for 1 p.m. from Melching Field at Conrad Park in DeLand, Florida. The game will be televised on ESPN+.
With a win, the Flames will secure a spot in the 2019 NCAA Tournament, it would be the 6th such appearance in school history. Liberty could sneak into the NCAA Regionals with an at-large, as they have firmly played themselves onto the bubble, but hopefully we won’t have to sweat out the selection show on Monday at noon eastern on ESPNU.
Stetson is looking for a 2nd straight ASUN Championship, after winning the crown in 2018 and advancing to the NCAA Super Regionals before falling to North Carolina.
