The Liberty Flames continue their winning ways as they concluded a perfect week, winning all four games they played. The Flames began the week with a dramatic, walk-off win over the Duke Blue Devils on Tuesday. Liberty would then see their bats break out in a big way with a season-high 22 runs in Friday’s rout of North Florida. The Flames would then sweep the Ospreys by virtue of two one-run wins on Saturday and Sunday.
Liberty has drawn within one game of first place in the ASUN East Division, as Kennesaw State dropped one of their three games against Jacksonville this weekend. The Flames will look to keep their strong play going this week as they hit the road for four games, beginning Tuesday at North Carolina and then a crucial three-game series at Stetson.
TUESDAY: LIBERTY 3, DUKE 2
It looked like it was going to be a high scoring affair on Tuesday at Liberty Baseball Stadium as both the Blue Devils and the Flames threatened and got on the scoreboard in the first inning. Duke scored when Liberty pitcher Trey Gibson walked two batters who then stole second and third. A runner would score on a fielder’s choice that was hit to Gibson, who fielded the ball and threw it home. Catcher Gray Betts’ just narrowly missed on applying the tag as the runner slid in for the run.
The Flames answered back as Betts had a leadoff double, Aaron Anderson walked, and Derek Orndorff belted a pitch off the center field wall that scored Betts. Anderson was unable to advance past second and he and Orndorff were stranded there.
The score would remain knotted at one until the sixth inning. Gibson, who had a no-hitter extend into that frame, surrendered two hits to Duke in the sixth as the Blue Devils regained the lead at 2-1. Logan Mathieu would tie the game in the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run to right field.
In the ninth, Nathan Keeter drew a leadoff walk, Betts then bunted Keeter into scoring position. Anderson stepped to the plate and would belt a line drove down the right field line that went all the way to the wall to easily score Keeter for the walk-off win.
FRIDAY: LIBERTY 22, NORTH FLORIDA 4
The Flames jumped all over the Ospreys to begin the game, putting up crooked numbers in both the first and the second inning. Liberty scored 6 in the first and followed that up with an 8-spot in the second to take a commanding 14-0 lead.
Designated hitter Brady Gulakowski went 4 for 4 with a career high eight RBI and four runs scored in the contest. He hit a three-run home run in the first, a grand slam, in the second, and a solo shot in the fifth inning as he became the first Flame since Tim Nanry on Feb. 18, 2007 to belt three home runs in a game.
All nine batters in the Liberty lineup had at least one hit in the contest. Pinch hitter Drew Baughman hit his second home run of the season in the contest.
SATURDAY: LIBERTY 5, NORTH FLORIDA 4
Liberty fell behind in the first inning as the Ospreys struck first with two runs off starter Dylan Cumming. The Flames would battle back, scoring five straight, including four in the third, to take a 5-2 lead. Three Hillier, Stephen Hill, Logan Mathieu, and Nathan Keeter all had RBI singles in the frame.
UNF wouldn’t go away easily, as they scored two runs to draw within one at 5-4 entering the final innings. Mason Fluharty entered in the 8th in relief of Cumming, surrendered one run in the inning to cut it to the one run difference. The Liberty lefty was sent back out to the mound in the 9th. He would strike out the side and preserve the win, but it wasn’t without a little drama as North Florida got runners on first and second with one out.
SUNDAY GAME 2: LIBERTY 10, NORTH FLORIDA 9
It was a back and forth affair for the third and final game of the series on Sunday. Liberty would strike first with three runs in the home half of the second inning before North Florida added three of their own in the third. The Flames quickly responded to add two more in the third. Liberty would extend its lead to 6-3 in the fifth.
The Ospreys would chase starter Joe Adametz in the 6th by loading the bases with nobody out. Jeremy Beamon would come on in relief, but he could not keep the UNF bats at bay. The Ospreys would score five runs in the frame, highlighted by a three-run home run by Brock Edge to take the 8-6 lead.
Liberty came back in the bottom of the 6th to score two runs to tie the game at 8, but the Flames would leave the bases loaded. The Ospreys would take the lead in the top of the eighth, scoring on a sacrifice fly to shallow right field. Liberty would answer back once again in the bottom of the inning. With Stephen Hill on first and two outs, Logan Mathieu lined an opposite-field single into left field. After a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position, Cam Foster ripped a pitch through the left side of the infield, scoring Hill and Mathieu for the decisive runs.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: BRADY GULAKOWSKI
Brady Gulakowski became the first Flame since 2007 to belt three home runs in the game. He finished Friday night 4 for 4 with a career high 8 RBI and four runs scored in the contest. He set new career highs for hits, home runs, RBI and runs scored in the contest. His eight RBI were one shy of the program record of nine by Tyler Bream on March 22, 2009 and Pat Sipe on April 19, 1986.
Gulakowski had a solid weekend series against the Ospreys, driving in at least one run in each of the three games. He finished the week 6/15 with 10 RBI and 5 runs.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK: TREY CARTER
Carter entered the game Tuesday night against Duke in a crucial spot and shut the Blue Devils down to pick up the win for the Flames. He pitched 1.2 innings while striking out four and not allowing a base runner. Carter has turned out to be a very solid weapon for Coach Scott Jackson out of the bullpen. He has made 13 appearances with a 1-0 record and one save. In 21.2 innings pitched, he has struck out 27 and walked 13 while allowing five earned runs. His ERA is 2.08 and he is holding opponents to .156 batting average.
ON TAP
Liberty will hit the road this week to take on the North Carolina Tar Heels on Tuesday. It will be a rematch from the Flames’ dramatic 1-0 win over UNC on March 8 in Lynchburg. The Tar Heels are 23-17 overall and 8-13 in ACC play this season. They are coming off a three-game sweep at Virginia over the weekend.
The Flames will then head to Florida for a three-game ASUN series at Stetson this weekend, beginning Friday evening. The Hatters took 2 of 3 from Liberty in Lynchburg March 25-27. Stetson has lost 6 straight including a three-game series sweep against FGCU this past weekend.
ASUN STANDINGS
East
Kennesaw State…………13-5, 24-15
Liberty……………………….12-6, 26-12
FGCU…………………………11-7, 26-14
Jacksonville………………7-11, 20-17
North Florida……………..6-12, 16-25
Stetson……………………..5-13, 18-21
West
Eastern Kentucky………12-6, 26-13
Central Arkansas………12-6, 18-20
Lipscomb………………….11-7, 23-17
Jacksonville State…….11-7, 18-19
Bellarmine…………………6-12, 8-31
North Alabama………….2-16, 9-28
