Liberty baseball swept Sam Houston in the program’s first ever home Conference USA series. The Flames are now 13-14 overall and 5-1 in conference play.
TUESDAY: #12 WAKE FOREST 7, LIBERTY 6
The Demon Deacons picked up a win over the Flames on Tuesday afternoon at Liberty Baseball Stadium.
Trailing 7-4, Liberty scored two runs in the eighth inning to cut Wake’s lead to one and then loaded the bases with one out. However, the Demon Deacons were able to get out of the jam and retired the next two Flames to keep the tying run at third and end the inning as Wake Forest held on for the victory.
Liberty used six pitchers in the contest. Trey Cooper picked up the loss after giving up two runs, one earned, on one hit. He struck out one and walked three. The Flames walked 11 batters in the contest.
The two teams will meet again this season, facing off in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on May 14.
THURSDAY: LIBERTY 6, SAM HOUSTON 4
Trailing 4-0 after six innings, the Liberty Flames struck for six unanswered runs, including two in the eighth inning to pick up the win in the series opener over Sam Houston.
The Flames tied the game with four runs int he seventh inning and then took the lead in the eighth inning by rallying for two runs with two outs. After an Aidan Sweet double, Maccadin Dye ripped a double into the left field corner to give the Flames its first lead of the contest. Todd Hudson followed with an RBI single.
In the ninth, Ben Blair pitched out of a bases loaded jam to close out the victory. Blair pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless relief for the win.
FRIDAY: LIBERTY 10, SAM HOUSTON 5
Todd Hudson belted a grand slam and Cole Hertzler pitched six strong innings to help pace the Flames to a win Friday, securing the series victory.
Hudson’s first inning grand slam, his fourth home run of the year, put Liberty into the lead they would never relinquish. Hertzler allowed four runs, two earned, on seven hits over the first six innings of the contest to pick up his third win of 2024. He tied his career high with nine strikeouts and walked three. Reliever Talor Grubbs did not allow a run over the final two innings for the Flames.
SATURDAY: LIBERTY 9, SAM HOUSTON 3
Nick Moran pitched seven strong innings, helping to propel the Flames past Sam Houston to complete a sweep of the Bearkats in the CUSA series.
Moran gave up three runs, all unearned, on six hits over a career high seven innings to record the win. He struck out seven and did not issue a walk. Liberty didn’t issue a walk in the contest. Ben Blair pitched two scoreless innings to finish the contest while striking out four.
Macaddin Dye had two hits and belted his third home run of the season for Liberty. He drove in three runs and scored one. Aidan Sweatt joined Dye with two hits and three RBI in the contest. He also scored twice. Brayden Horton had two hits including his fifth home run of the year.
Up Next: The Flames welcome #11 Duke to Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium on Tuesday. Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m. Liberty then hits the road for a three-game CUSA series at New Mexico State. First pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday, 5 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday.
Current CUSA Standings
Dallas Baptist……..5-1, 23-4
Liberty…………………5-1, 13-14
FIU………………………..6-3, 15-13
Louisiana Tech……4-2, 22-8
Western Kentucky…4-2, 19-10
Sam Houston……….3-6, 17-12
Middle Tenn………….2-4, 10-16
NMSU…………………..1-5, 11-16
Jax State……………..0-6, 9-18