Liberty’s offense struggled in the opening three-game series at No. 18 Southern Miss. In that three-game set, the Flames scored just three runs and only had 12 hits in 27 innings. The Liberty bats would break out in a big way on Wednesday afternoon at Duke.
The Flames would score 8 runs on 10 hits in an 8-6 win against the Blue Devils in Durham, North Carolina to improve to 1-3 on the season.
Liberty had only one extra base hit in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, a 9th inning home run fro Camden Troyer in the ninth inning on Sunday when the game was already well in hand for the Golden Eagles. That trend would quickly change for the Flames, highlighted by Troyer’s three-run home run in the third.
Troyer’s blast was part of a five-run frame for Liberty, to take a 5-1 lead against the home-standing ACC squad. The rally all came with two outs. Gray Betts began things with a walk followed by a Victor Castillo single. Betts would then score from second on a single by Cam Foster, and Castillo would score after Three Hillier reached on an error by the Duke second baseman.
The big hits and two-out runs would continue in the third as Jake Lazzaro and Betts went back-to-back with two-out home runs to extend the Liberty lead to 7-1.
Lefty Garrett Gainey would get the midweek start against the Blue Devils. He pitched 4.1 innings while allowing 3 runs on 5 hits while striking out five and walking two. This was Gainey’s second appearance of the season as he pitched two innings, allowing one run, in Saturday’s loss at Southern Miss in relief of Nick Moran.
Duke would get to Gainey and David Erickson, who come on in relief of the Liberty starter, in the fifth. The Blue Devils scored three with three consecutive hits, including two doubles to bring the score within 7-4.
The Flames would manufacture a run in the 6th. Jaylen Guy would score after being hit by a pitch, stealing second, advancing to third on a throwing error, and reaching home on a wild pitch.
Freshman right-hander Todd Hudson would calm things for Liberty out of the bullpen, pitching two scoreless, but it wouldn’t be an easy close to the game for the Flames.
Facing Trey Carter to begin the bottom of the 8th, Duke would load the bases with nobody out. The Blue Devils would score twice, cutting the Liberty lead to 8-6 entering the final inning. Cole Hertzler would get out of the jam in the 8th, recording the final out after inheriting a runner on third base. Hertzler would also close the door in the 9th to pick up the save.
The game did end on some controversy, as Liberty recorded the final out thanks to an overturned play after a review. It appeared the Blue Devils had cut the lead to 8-7 with two outs and a runner on first place after an infield squibbler to the pitcher that was unable to be corralled by the Liberty first baseman Andrew Jenner. The Duke runner scored from second, but Liberty head coach Scott Jackson quickly got out of the dugout to call for interference on the Duke runner headed to first base.
After a lengthy review, the umpires emerged and would call the Duke runner out at first for being out of the baseline to end the game.
Up next: The seven-game road trip to begin the season continues this weekend at Winthrop. The Flames will face the 3-1 Eagles with the three games from Winthrop Ballpark scheduled first pitch for 3 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m. Sunday.
