Liberty picked up a win at Florida Gulf Coast on Friday to open the series and ASUN play 1-0. The Flames would be unable to pick up another win on the weekend though, as the Eagles win the two remaining games to take the series. Liberty falls to 8-11 overall and 1-2 in conference play.
Friday: Liberty 9, #20 FGCU 7
Liberty jumped out to an 8-0 advantage through the top of the seventh inning of the ASUN opener, only to see the host Eagles score seven runs in the bottom of the inning to close within one before securing the victory.
Freshman first baseman Brayden Horton had three hits and drove in four runs for Liberty. Flames catcher Gray Betts added two hits and an RBI, scoring a run in the contest.
Flames left-hander Garrett Horn did not allow a run, yielding one hit over the first five innings and Cole Hertzler retired all seven men he faced to close out the contest over the final 2 1/3 innings. Working with a two-run cushion, Hertzler, who recorded the final out of the seventh inning, did not allow a baserunner over the last two innings to seal the Liberty win.
Saturday: #20 FGCU 11, Liberty 8
The Flames jumped on top with three runs in the top of the first, but the home team would bounce back quickly. FGCU scored in each of the first five innings, including a four-run fifth to take a commanding 11-4 lead. The Eagles would hit four home runs on the day, including a three-run homer in the third to take the lead, 5-3, it would not relinquish.
Liberty would not go down quietly. The Flames scored two runs in both the 6th and the 7th to cut the lead to 11-8, but could not do any further damage, dropping their first ASUN game of the season.
Sunday: #20 FGCU 7, Liberty 2
For the third time this weekend, Liberty took the early advantage on a Three Hillier RBI single in the top of the first. FGCU would strike right back, as they did throughout the series. The Eagles scored two in the bottom of the first to take the lead that they would not relinquish. FGCU added three in the fourth and two more in the sixth to seize control.
Liberty’s Brayden Horton hit his first career home run in the the fifth for the Flames’ second run.
Up Next: The Flames will head to Norfolk, Virginia to take on Old Dominion on Wednesday at 6 p.m. The Monarchs are currently 18-2 on the season following their sweep of Louisiana-Monroe this weekend. ODU has won 6 straight. Liberty will then play their ASUN home opener with a three-game series against Austin Peay at Liberty Baseball Stadium beginning Friday.
