Liberty Baseball sits at 7-4 and have a big week ahead of them with a midweek visit from Duke and a three game series with nationally ranked St. Johns this weekend. Here’s what we’ve learned so far about the 2017 edition of the Flames:
- The Pitching Staff – This team will only go as far as its pitching staff takes them. The Flames are 7-1 in games in which they give up 5 or less runs. In their 3 other losses they are giving up 9 runs a game. The bullpen has improved from 2016 with Shane Quarterly, Garret Price, and Jack DeGroat proving to be able to shut down opposing offenses late in games.
- Hot Start – Sammy Taormina started the season on fire at the plate. His batting average was as high as .600 a week ago, but it has fallen to a less video game like number after a tough weekend against Bryant. He’s got 16 hits including 4 doubles, 1 triple, 3 home runs, and 5 RBI’s.
- Offensive Struggles – The offense needs to get going. The Flames have 3 players hitting over .300 on the year and only 2 of those players has more than 3 at bats. Sammy Taormina has carried this team offensively so far with a couple of other guys getting a few timely hits. It’s normal for teams to struggle offensively in the cold that usually accompanies the start of the season, but its time for the likes of D.J. Artis (out with a hamstring injury) and Will Shepherd to get things rolling like we know they can.
- Most Improved So Far- Caleb Evans is much improved from last year. Evans has pitched 16.2 innings allowing 3 ER with a 2.25:1 strikeout to walk ratio.
- Big Weekend Ahead– St. Johns will come to Lynchburg as a top 10 RPI team and the 19th ranked team in the country according to d1baseball.com. This series could prove to be Liberty’s toughest of the regular season.
Tarantola (1-0, 0.82 ERA) takes the mound as the new midweek starter for the Flames against ACC foe Duke 3pm on Tuesday in Lynchburg. Stay tuned to @aseaofred and @Evan_Taylor on twitter for updates!
