Liberty’s offense explodes for 11 runs against the Duke Blue Devils in the first game of play in the NCAA Tournament at the Knoxville Regional, as the Flames coasted to an 11-6 win. With the win, the Flames advance to the winner’s bracket of the double-elimination tournament and will play the winner of Wright State and Tennessee on Saturday at 6 pm.
The Flames would get the offense going in the top of the first as the first two batters, Gray Betts and Aaron Anderson each hit a double into the outfield gap. Will Wagner and Trey McDyre would follow with consecutive RBI groundouts to put Liberty up 2-0 at the end of the frame.
After a Duke solo home run in the bottom of the second, Liberty designated hitter Brady Gulakowski smashed a two-out, three-run opposite field home run over the left field wall as the Flames’ built a 5-1 lead in the third. Gulakowski’s day wasn’t done as he hit another three-run blast, this one to right field, as part of a six-run fourth inning for Liberty as the lead ballooned to 11-1. Logan Mathieu added a solo home run in the inning.
With National Pitcher of the Year candidate Trevor DeLaite on the bump, that would be more than enough insurance for the Flames to get the win. DeLaite held the Blue Devils to just one run through the first five innings, before exiting in the eighth. He would finish the day with 7.2 innings pitched while allowing four runs on eight hits while striking out five as he finished the day with 118 pitches. He picks up his 12th win of the season which sets a Liberty single-season record.
Duke entered Friday’s contest one of the hottest teams in the country, having won 12 straight, including four wins in Charlotte last week as the Blue Devils won their first ACC Championship in 60 years. In those four wins, the Blue Devils allowed just five runs during the weekend, a mark the Flames would surpass by the fourth inning.
The two home runs for Gulakowski marks the first game in his Liberty career with multiple home runs. His six RBI’s are also a career best and the most for a Liberty batter in a regional game since Trey Wimmer drove in six in the 2013 Columbai Regional opener against Clemson. Gray Betts would add three hits, two of them doubles, two runs, and one RBI.
Either Dylan Cumming or possibly Trey Gibson, who has missed his last two starts due to arm soreness but is hopeful to be ready to go this weekend, will start Saturday night’s game against either Wright State or Tennessee. Duke will face the loser of that contest at noon on Saturday.
If Liberty wins Saturday night, the Flames will advance to the Knoxville Regional final which is scheduled for Sunday at 6 pm. If the Flames fall on Saturday, they will play on Sunday at 2 pm in an elimination game with the winner advancing to the Regional Final.
