After dropping the season opener at No. 9 Florida, Liberty baseball has reeled off 10 straight wins. The Flames continued their hot streak this week with a mid-week win at Radford and a three-game sweep of Canisius at Liberty Baseball Stadium.
With the perfect 4-0 mark this week, Liberty is now 10-1 on the season and has moved up to No. 20 in the D1Baseball top 25 poll. A tough slate awaits the Flames this week, playing host to No. 15 North Carolina and Campbell.
TUESDAY: NO. 20 LIBERTY 11, RADFORD 3
The Flames jumped out to a 6-0 lead over the first two innings and never looked back, cruising to the easy win at Radford on Tuesday afternoon. Gray Betts collected three hits, including his first home run of the season, leading off the contest with his solo shot. He finished the day with three RBIs and three runs scored.
In addition to Betts’ strong play, Derek Orndorff hit two home runs and had four RBIs, while third baseman Stephen Hill added three hits, three RBIs, and scored three runs.
Dylan Cumming got the start, pitching four innings while only allowing one run on two hits. Garrett Horn picked up the win with his two innings pitched, also allowing one run. Trey Carter and Mason Fluharty combined to toss two scoreless innings of relief, while David Erickson surrendered a run in his one inning pitched.
FRIDAY: NO. 20 LIBERTY 4, CANISIUS 1
Joe Adametz picked up his second win of the season as he tossed 6 innings, allowing only one unearned run while striking out five. Mason Fluharty and Cade Hungate came on in relief and kept Canisius off the scoreboard as the Flames picked up the win to open the weekend series. In his first game back in the lineup after missing a few games, shortstop Jake Lazzaro paced the Flames with two hits, an RBI, and a run scored.
SATURDAY: NO. 20 LIBERTY 14, CANISIUS 3
Derek Orndorff and Aaron Anderson each hit a three-run home run and had four RBIs, helping power the Flames past Canisius on Saturday afternoon. Orndorff’s eighth home run of the season in the first inning gave Liberty a 3-0 lead and they never looked back. Anderson hit his third home run of the year in the third inning while Stephen Hill added two hits and scored a game-high four times in the victory.
SUNDAY: NO. 20 LIBERTY 14, CANISIUS 5
The Griffins jumped on top with two runs in the first inning, but Liberty would quickly respond. In the home half of the second, Orndorff smashed his 9th home run of the season to lead off the frame. It helped jump start a seven-run frame as the Flames jumped out in front and seized control. Orndorff knocked his second dinger of the day, a two-run shot in the fourth.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: DEREK ORNDORFF
We are quickly approaching the territory that we will have to have a player of the week outside of Orndorff, but we will continue to ride the hot hand for now. The Liberty centerfielder is playing outside of his mind to open the season. He has ten home runs on the year, which puts him at the top of the national leaderboard. In the four games this week, Orndorff had five home runs, including two-home run games against Radford and again on Sunday against Canisius. This week, he batted 5 for 13 with four home runs, 9 runs scored, and 11 RBIs.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK: JOE ADAMETZ
The Liberty bats provided plenty of run insurance during the week, providing 11+ runs in three of the four games. In the one game the Flames’ bats were held mostly in check, on Friday evening, it was Joe Adametz who came through for Liberty. The Friday night starter pitched six innings while allowing just one unearned run on five hits while striking out five. His play helped Liberty secure the 4-1 win over Canisius to open the series.
ON TAP
A challenging four-game slate awaits Liberty this week, all four games at home and streamed on ESPN+. The Flames will face No. 15 North Carolina on Tuesday at 4 p.m. The Tar Heels have opened the season at 11-1 and are coming off a three-game sweep of Coastal Carolina. Their only loss on the year thus far was game three of a three game series against East Carolina.
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.
ASUN STANDINGS
East
Liberty……………………….10-1
FGCU………………………..10-2
Kennesaw State…………8-3
Jacksonville………………8-4
Stetson……………………..6-5
North Florida…………….3-10
West
Lipscomb………………….7-4
Eastern Kentucky………7-5
North Alabama………….4-5
Jacksonville State…….4-6
Central Arkansas………3-7
Bellarmine…………………1-12
