Liberty baseball continues its hot play as the Flames have now won eight consecutive following a second straight perfect 4-0 week to improve to 25-8 overall and 11-1 in ASUN play. The week began with a big home win over No. 12 Virginia Tech, 8-2, on Tuesday, and the Flames completely dominated North Alabama in a three game series sweep. Dating back to the end of February, Liberty is 23-3 in their last 26 games. Four straight at home this week for the Flames who will look to keep their home win streak alive. Liberty’s RPI has improved to No. 33 as the Flames are knocking on the door of being ranked in the national top 25 polls.

TUESDAY: LIBERTY 8, NO. 12 VIRGINIA TECH 2

The Flames picked up a big win for its resume as it defeated No. 12 Virginia Tech, 8-2. Dylan Cumming got his first start as a Flame and he did not disappoint. The Chicago State transfer picked up the win, his first decision with the Flames, as he pitched 6 innings while allowing 2 runs on 5 hits. He began the 7th inning on the mound after only allowing 1 hit and pitching a shutout through the first 6 frames before the Hokies began to find their rhythm against the right hander.

Left hander Fraser Ellard came on in relief of Cumming in the 7th inning, entering with the bases loaded, and was able to get out of the jam as the Hokies only scraped two runs across in the frame. Ellard pitched 3 innings of shutout baseball while allowing only 1 hit as he picked up his third save of the year.

Liberty got on the board first when first baseman Logan Mathieu hit his third home run in four days over the right field wall in the bottom of the third. The Flames would add another run in the fourth and broke things open in the fifth inning with five runs. Mathieu came through again that inning with a two-run double as the lead ballooned to 7-0. After Virginia Tech scored two runs in the 7th, Liberty added a run in the 8th inning on a Will Wagner single that scored Gray Betts.

FRIDAY: LIBERTY 13, NORTH ALABAMA 5

Liberty opened the game with Gray Betts and Aaron Anderson reaching base followed by a three run home run by second baseman Will Wagner. It was a sign of things to come as the Flames’ first three batters combined 13 hits, eight RBI and eight runs scored. That leadoff group helped lead the Flames to at least two runs in five of the first six innings as Liberty led, 11-5, at the end of six innings.

In the first 27 innings Liberty and North Alabama played against each other in Lynchburg a few weeks ago, the Lions were held scoreless. That wouldn’t extend into this series in Florence, Alabama as UNA got on the scoreboard in the first inning, scratching two runs across the plate against Liberty starter Trevor DeLaite.

DeLaite went a complete game picking up his 5th win of the season as he improves to 5-1. He allowed 12 hits and 5 runs, 3 of them earned with 4 strikeouts and 3 walks.

SATURDAY: LIBERTY 15, NORTH ALABAMA 1

Flames starting pitcher Nick Willard gave up one run on four hits over the first four innings while striking out four and walking two. Mason Meyer pitched three scoreless innings in relief and Cole Garrett and Tyler Germanowski each pitched a scoreless frame.

For the second straight day, all nine batters in the Liberty lineup had at least one hit in the contest while six Flames had two or more hits. Aaron Anderson collected three hits and drove in three runs in the game. Trey McDyre added three hits, as well, with an RBI and two runs scored.

Liberty second baseman Will Wagner and shortstop Cam Locklear each hit home runs in the contest. Wagner had two hits, including his sixth home run of the season, and had three RBI. Locklear also had two hits and drove in two runs. His two-run home run was his fourth of the year.

SUNDAY: LIBERTY 15, NORTH ALABAMA 0

The Flames complete the three-game sweep and move to 6-0 against the Lions this season with a win on Sunday afternoon in Florence, Alabama. Trey Gibson pitched eight innings without allowing a run to pick up the win. The freshman right hander scattered five hits while striking out eight and walking two.

Jaylen Guy got the Flames on the scoreboard with a solo home run in the top of the 2nd inning. Liberty would tack on one run in the 4th and 5th innings to lead 3-0. Liberty’s bats would then get hot as the Flames scored 7 runs in the 6th and 5 runs in the 8th inning. Gray Betts got one hit on the afternoon as he extended his hitting streak to 19 games and has reached base safely in 22 consecutive games.

Liberty won the three game series by a combined score of 43-5 and has outscored North Alabama 60-5 in six games against the Lions this season.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: WILL WAGNER

Wagner had a three-run home run in Liberty’s win over North Alabama on Friday and added another home run on Saturday. For the week, the Flames’ second baseman was 10 for 21 at the plate with 11 runs batted in, six runs scored, a double and the two home runs. He has at least one RBI in 17 of his last 18 games. On the season, Wagner is third on the team with a .318 batting average while he is second on the team with six home runs.

PITCHER OF THE WEEK: DYLAN CUMMING

Dylan Cumming got his first start as a Flame in the midweek outing against the Hokies. The Chicago State transfer picked up the win, his first decision with the Flames, as he pitched 6 innings while allowing 2 runs on 5 hits. Cumming entered the 7th inning after allowing one hit and pitching a shutout through the first six innings as Virginia Tech struggled with his pitches low in the zone.

Cumming entered the game with an 11.45 ERA and had not pitched since March 30th against Duke in Durham, North Carolina. He had just three previous appearances this season as he had pitched 11 innings and allowed 14 runs.

ON TAP

Liberty has four challenging games on the schedule this week as the Flames look to keep their 16 game home win streak alive. LU is 14-0 at Liberty Baseball Stadium this season. The Flames will seek revenge on Tuesday with a home contest against Duke, the only ACC team Liberty has lost to this season, falling 5-4 in Durham on March 30.  The Blue Devils currently have an RPI of 57 and are 16-16 overall and 8-13 in ACC play. They defeated Campbell, 14-7, this past Tuesday, and took two of three at home against Wake Forest over the weekend. First pitch Tuesday is at 6 pm.

This weekend, Liberty welcomes former Big South rival Coastal Carolina comes to town for a three-game series beginning Friday at 6 pm. The Chanticleers currently have an 85 RPI and are 17-13 overall and 3-6 in Sun Belt play. They lost two of three at home in Conway to Georgia Southern this past week. Coastal begins their week Tuesday evening at North Carolina.

ASUN STANDINGS

Liberty……………………..11-1 ASUN…25-8 overall
Kennesaw State………10-2 ASUN…22-9 overall
FGCU………………………7-2 ASUN…21-12 overall
Stetson……………………6-3 ASUN…20-12 overall
North Florida……………5-4 ASUN…11-16 overall
Bellarmine……………….5-10 ASUN…10-22 overall
Lipscomb………………..4-8 ASUN…12-19 overall
North Alabama……….3-12 ASUN…4-29 overall
Jacksonville……………0-9 ASUN…7-22 overall