No. 14 Liberty could only scrape together four hits and one run on Tuesday evening from Liberty Baseball Stadium against No. 15 North Carolina, but it was all that the Flames would need to extend the team’s win streak to 11, defeating the Tar Heels, 1-0.
With two outs in the bottom of the first, ASUN Preseason Player of the Year Aaron Anderson stepped into the plate. He would smash the ball down the right field line and the ball would hook inside the foul pole for the right fielder’s fourth home run of the season. That would be all the insurance the Liberty pitching staff would need.
In front of 2,692 fans in the 2,500 seat ballpark, Dylan Cumming got the start and scattered six hits over 4.2 innings of work. He struck out two and walked one, giving way to Mason Fluharty. He entered with a runner on second base and hit the first batter he faced. With two outs and runners on second and third, Fluharty got a big strike out to end the Carolina threat.
Fluharty would pitch 2.1 innings of relief, picking up his first win of the season. He did not allow a hit and struck out four. Jeremy Beamon pitched a scoreless inning of work in the eight, giving way to closer Cade Hungate. He would give up two singles in the ninth, as the Tar Heels moved the tying run to second and had the go-ahead run on first. The Liberty closer would end the threat and the game by striking out the side, picking up his fourth save of the season.
Tuesday’s game marked the 29th meeting between the two programs, but the first time they faced each other as ranked teams. It also was the first contest two Top 25 teams met at Liberty Baseball Stadium. The Flames improve to 11-1 on the season and have won 11 straight since dropping the season opener on Feb. 18. Meanwhile, North Carolina saw their five game win streak snapped, falling to 11-2 on the year. The two teams will meet in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on April 26.
The Flames have now won 17 consecutive home games and 34 out of their last 36 at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium.
Beginning Friday, the Flames will welcome Campbell to Liberty Baseball Stadium for a three-game series that gets underway Friday at 4 p.m. The Camels are currently 5-7 on the season. They had won four straight, including a 7-4 win over No. 8 NC State, before falling on Sunday against Pitt, 11-5, in the final game of the All-American Classic in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Liberty and Campbell met in the opening weekend of the 2021 season last year, with the Camels winning the series 2-1 in Buies Creek, North Carolina.
