Liberty baseball has picked up two mid-week wins over Top 25 ACC teams on the road but have now dropped two straight weekend series as the Flames lost two games in the three-game series at UNC Wilmington over the weekend. Liberty drops to 7-4 on the season.

FRIDAY: UNCW 6, LIBERTY 3

The Seahawks jumped out to an early advantage and were able to hold off the Flames for the victory in the series opener on Friday at Brooks field. Behind right-hander Zane Taylor, the host Seahawks built a 6-0 lead through the first four innings. Taylor held the Flames to one hit through the first five innings, retiring 14 consecutive batters at one point. The Flames would break through against Taylor in the 6th, opening the inning with four straight singles to score two runs and later added another to cut the UNCW advantage to 6-3. However, Liberty could not move any closer as UNCW was able to close out the win.

Flames starter Dylan Mathiesen took the loss, allowing five runs on seven hits over three innings. He struck out five and walked one. Reliever Josh McCusker pitched four scoreless innings, retiring 10 Seahawks in a row upon entering the game in the 5th inning. He allowed just one hit while striking out four and walking one, allowing the Flames to have a chance to claw back into the contest. This was McCusker’s longest outing of the year. In his first two relief appearances, he had not pitched more than two innings. He has only allowed one baserunners in seven innings pitched.

The loss was Liberty’s first on the road this season, entering the contest 2-0 with two Top 25 mid-week wins on the road so far this season. Tanner Marsh had his third multi-hit game of the season. He is the only Flame to reach base in the first nine games of 2025. LF Nick Barone, who entered the weekend leading CUSA in RBI, drove in another run in the loss Friday, as he had at least one RBI in eight of the team’s first nine games.

SATURDAY: LIBERTY 4, UNCW 2

Ben Blair held UNCW in check over seven innings and first baseman Jaxon Sorenson hit a three-run blast to give Liberty the lead as the Flames picked up the win to even the series on Saturday afternoon. Blair held Wilmington to one run on two hits over a career-high seven innings. He struck out six and walked one. Blair was locked in a pitchers’ duel with UNCW righty Connor Mashburn through the first four innings. Trailing 1-0 with two outs in the 5th, the Flames were able to break through against Mashburn. With two men aboard, Sorenson belted the first pitch he saw over the left field wall to blast the Flames into the lead at 3-1.

Tyler August came on in relief of Blair and the two combined to not allow an extra base hit in the contest. August recorded his second save of the season while yielding one run on three hits over the final two innings. He struck out three and walked one.

CF Michael Robertson drove in an insurance run with his double in the 9th. Sorenson’s home run is his third of the season, tying him for the Liberty lead in that category with LF Nick Barone. SS Tanner Marsh singled in the game to continue his streak of 10 straight games reaching base safely to begin the season.

SUNDAY: UNCW 5, LIBERTY 3

UNCW took an early 5-1 lead and held on for a 5-3 victory on Sunday to clinch the series. Liberty battled back with runs in the 7th and 8th to trim the edge to 5-3. The Flames had several chances to tie or take the lead in the contest but could not push the runs across. Seahawks pitching worked out of bases-loaded jams in the 2nd, 7th, and 8th innings. Liberty was 3 for 15 with runners in scoring position.

Liberty reliever Joseph Webb allowed the Flames to attempt the comeback. The final of three pitchers for Liberty in the game, he retired all 10 batters he faced. He struck out six and did not issue a walk. Going 3.1 innings, it ties his longest relief stint of the season. Webb has not given up a run over 9.2 innings of work in four appearances. Starter Josh Swink took the loss, giving up two runs on three hits over three innings. He struck out three and did not walk a batter.

SS Tanner Marsh walked with the bases loaded in the 7th inning to reach safely once again, continuing his streak of 11 straight games reaching base this season.

Up Next: The Flames conclude their road trip on Tuesday at Campbell in Buies Creek, North Carolina with first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m. on FloSports. Liberty then returns home for a three game series at Liberty Baseball Stadium against Central Michigan beginning Friday at 4 p.m.

Current CUSA Standings

Western Kentucky…10-1
FIU………………………11-2
Jax State……………..10-2
Dallas Baptist……..8-3
Liberty…………………7-4
NMSU…………………..7-4
Louisiana Tech……6-5
Middle Tenn………….6-5
Kennesaw State……5-8
Sam Houston……….2-9