The Liberty Flames picked up a midweek win on the road at Duke on Tuesday, but the Flames would drop two out of three at Jacksonville over the weekend. Liberty is now 17-9 overall and 4-5 in ASUN play ahead of a challenging slate this week.
With the team and starting rotation’s recent struggles, skipper Scott Jackson switched up the look of his starters this week. The Flames turned to freshman Garrett Horn on Friday, Trey Carter on Saturday, and moved Joe Adametz from Friday night to Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, catcher Gray Betts and center fielder Derek Orndorff returned to the lineup for the weekend series at Jacksonville after clearing concussion protocol.
TUESDAY: LIBERTY 9, DUKE 2
Leading 3-2, Liberty struck for six runs on six hits in the top of the ninth. Three Hillier walked and moved to third on a double by Cameron Foster to open the inning. Logan Mathieu was then intentionally walked to load the bases. Two batters later, pinch hitter Drew Baughman singled through the right side of the infield, plating Hillier for a 4-2 advantage. Jake Lazzaro followed with a bunt single to score Foster for a 5-2 lead. Mathieu had a three-run home run in the fourth inning to give the Flames the lead.
Relievers Mason Fluharty and Dylan Cumming combined to hold a one-run advantage. Brady Gulakowski had two hits and two RBIs for the Flames.
FRIDAY: JACKSONVILLE 6, LIBERTY 1
Making his Friday night debut, Garrett Horn kept the game tight through the early innings. His counterpart, Mason Adams, would keep the Flames on the scoreboard as he pitched 7.1 scoreless innings. Trailing 1-0 with two outs in the top of the fifth, Logan Mathieu doubled off the top of the right field wall to keep the inning alive. Jake Lazzaro followed with a ground ball that was misplayed by JU second baseman Jesus Pacheco, putting runners on the corners. However, Adams was able to get catcher Gray Betts to ground out to keep the Flames from tying the contest.
The Dolphins would add two insurance runs in the 6th and three in the 8th before Liberty finally got on the scoreboard with one run in the 9th.
SATURDAY: LIBERTY 6, JACKSONVILLE 2
Liberty pitchers set the tone for the night, combining to limit Jacksonville to two runs on four hits in the contest. The five Flames struck out 16 and walked 2. Aaron Anderson had a game high three hits to go along with an RBI and run scored in the contest. Jake Lazzaro tied the game in the fourth with a two-out, two-run single.
After the Flames took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth, the first two Dolphins to bat in the bottom of the inning walked. The Flames went to the bullpen for Fluharty, who immediately struck out the first batter he faced for the first out of the inning. The left-hander then hit the next batter, loading the bases. Fluharty would put an end to the scoring threat and preserved the Flames’ advantage by striking out the next two batters.
SUNDAY: JACKSONVILLE 11, LIBERTY 7
For the first time on the weekend, Liberty struck first, as Aaron Anderson’s bloop single with two outs scored Derek Orndorff from the third in the top of the third. The Dolphins would tie the game in the home half of the third on a single and two Liberty throwing errors. The Flames would score three in the fourth to take a 4-1 lead, but the wheels would fall off in the 5th as Jacksonville came storming back to score 6 runs and take a 7-4 lead.
Liberty wouldn’t go down without a fight though. The Flames would tack on one run in the sixth and tie it up at 7 with two more runs in the 7th. Jacksonville would strike back with four runs in the 8th to take the 11-7 lead they would not relinquish.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: LOGAN MATHIEU
With the Flames trailing 2-0 and riding a two-game losing streak, Logan Mathieu blasted a ball over the fence in Durham against Duke on Tuesday afternoon. His hit scored three runs and gave the Flames the lead at 3-2. On the week, Mathieu finished the week 6 for 15 with three runs scored and 4 RBIs to go along with that home run.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK: MASON FLUHARTY
Fluharty has quickly become Liberty’s top pitcher out of the bullpen, and he has the ability to go a few innings and be that gap from the starters to closer Cade Hungate. Fluharty pitched two scoreless innings on Tuesday at Duke, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out three. In Saturday night’s win at Jacksonville, Fluharty struck out 8 in three innings while allowing just one hit without giving up a run.
ON TAP
On Wednesday, Liberty will take the short trek to Charlottesville to take on Virginia. The Cavaliers have been one of the top teams in the country so far this year. They have a record of 25-3 overall and 9-3 in the ACC and are ranked in the top 5 of the country by all major media top 25 polls.
The Flames return home after the five game road trip for a weekend ASUN series against Florida Gulf Coast. The Eagles have been one of the best teams in the ASUN through the first half of the season. They are currently 20-8 overall and 7-2 in conference play. FGCU took two of three at home this past weekend against previously unbeaten in ASUN play Kennesaw State in a meeting of the top two teams in the ASUN’s East Division.
ASUN STANDINGS
East
FGCU…………………………7-2, 20-8
Kennesaw State…………7-2, 18-9
Liberty……………………….4-5, 17-9
Stetson……………………..4-5, 16-11
Jacksonville………………3-6, 15-11
North Florida……………..2-7, 10-19
West
Eastern Kentucky………8-1, 21-8
Jacksonville State…….6-3, 12-14
Central Arkansas………6-3, 11-15
Lipscomb………………….4-5, 15-13
North Alabama………….2-7, 7-19
Bellarmine…………………1-8, 3-24
