Liberty began a five game road swing on Tuesday night in Blacksburg, Virginia in a good way, picking up a midweek win over the Virginia Tech Hokies, 7-3. With the win, the Flames improve to 15-17 overall while the Hokies drop to 18-12.
This was the first of two meetings between Liberty and Virginia Tech this season. The Flames and Hokies will meet again on May 10 at Liberty Baseball Stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia.
The first three batters of the game would reach as Liberty threatened to score right out of the gate. The Flames would capitalize, scoring three in the top of the first as Gray Betts hit a sacrifice fly and two scored on Three Hillier’s double. Liberty would chase Virginia Tech starter, Grant Umberger, after he recorded just two outs.
Virginia Tech’s bullpen would keep the game within reach as the Flames were held to just one hit over the next five innings as the home team attempted to crawl back in this one.Tech would score an unearned run Liberty starter Trey Cooper in the second and added another run in the fifth off reliever David Erickson, to bring the score within one at 3-2.
The Flames would break it open in the seventh, plating four runs to seize control of the game at 7-2 entering the late innings. Cam Foster began the frame with a double to left center that bounced off the wall. He would then score on a passed ball. Jaylen Guy had an RBI single and Gray Betts scored two on his single to round out the scoring for the Flames in the seventh.
Virginia Tech would add a solo home run to lead off of the bottom half of the seventh, but they would not muster any more damage.
Cooper pitched two innings for Liberty allowing just the one unearned run in the second on one hit while striking out three and walking one. Trey Carter would then pitch two scoreless innings followed by David Erickson’s two innings where he allowed just one run. Cole Garrett pitched the seventh, allowing the solo home run. Tyler Germanowski pitched a scoreless eighth and Cole Hertzler closed the door in the ninth.
Seven of the nine Liberty batters would record a hit, led by Jake Lazzaro’s two bunt singles. Kane Kepley and Camden Troyer each scored two runs. Betts led the team with three RBIs.
Liberty will return to ASUN play this weekend, looking to win a second straight conference series as the Flames play at Kennesaw State. The three games from Stillwell Baseball Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia this weekend have first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m. Sunday.
