Flames Take Home Opener

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Temple	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	7	1
LIBERTY	1	1	0	2	0	0	7	1	X	12	18	1

Temple

LIBERTY

Tyler Bream drove in four runs and three other Flames hit home runs, as Liberty defeated the Temple Owls, 12-2, in the Flames' home opener at Worthington Stadium.

Liberty, which had a season-high 18 hits in the contest, moves to 4-3 on the season. Temple drops to 2-3. With its win in its 32nd home opener at Worthington Stadium, the Flames run their mark in home openers at the facility to 27-5.

The host Flames got on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the contest's opening inning. With one out, center fielder Curran Redal (Jr., Moses Lake, Wash.) was hit by a pitch and advanced to third base, when left fielder Jeff Jefferson dropped a double in front of Temple left fielder Jaime Abercrombie. Third baseman Tyler Bream (Fr., Zelienople, Pa.) followed with a run scoring ground out, giving Liberty a 1-0 advantage.

In the second inning, designated hitter Cody Brown (Sr., Cumming, Ga.) added to the Flame lead. Leading off the frame, the senior blasted his second home run of the season over the right-center field wall for a 2-0 Liberty edge.

The Flames threatened to add to their lead in the third inning, loading the bases with no outs. However, Owl starter Ben White retired the next three Liberty batters to prevent the Flames from extending their lead.

Temple tied the contest in the top of the fourth inning. Center fielder Byron McKoy opened the frame with the Owls' first hit of the game, a home run over the right-center field wall. The Temple center fielder's second round tripper of the season cut the Liberty advantage in half, 2-1. Shortstop Carmen Del Mastro followed by beating a out a bunt single and moved to second base on a throwing error by Flames second baseman P.J. Jimenez (Jr, Yucaipa, Calif.). Del Mastro then moved to third on a ground out, and scored on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Mark Ortega to knot the game at 2-2.

Liberty countered in the bottom of the frame with two runs on three hits to take a two-run advantage. First baseman Doug Bream (So., Elizabethtown, Pa.), making his first start of the year, began the inning by lining a 0-1 pitch over the right-center field wall to put the Flames back in front, 3-2. After the next two Liberty batters were retired, shortstop Matt Williams (Fr., Franklin, Tenn.) continued the frame by lining a double inside the third base bag. The next hitter, Redal, cashed the freshman shortstop with a single through the middle of the infield, to give the Flames a 4-2 lead.

In the top of the seventh, the Owls loaded the bases with one out against Liberty starter Steven Evans (So., LHP, Amherst, Va.). The sophomore left-hander induced the next Temple hitter to hit a humped back liner to Williams at shortstop for the frame's second out, before leaving the contest for reliever Andrew Wilson (Sr., RHP, Cary, N.C.). The senior right-hander promptly got the next batter to ground out to Williams, ending the inning without the Owls cutting into the Flame advantage.

Liberty broke open the contest with seven runs on six hits during the bottom of the inning. Catcher Errol Hollinger (Sr., Upland, Calif.) opened the frame with a single up the middle and advanced to second when Brown walked. After the first out of the frame, Jimenez dropped a single in front of Owl center fielder McKoy to fill the sacks with Flames. Two batters later, Williams laced a two-run, two-out single to left, upping the Liberty edge to 6-2. Redal followed with a single through the right side of the infield to plate the Flames' third run of the inning.

Liberty once again loaded the bases in the frame, when Jefferson was hit by a pitch. Next batter Tyler Bream lined a bases clearing double into the left field corner for a 10-2 edge. Hollinger followed with a RBI double in his second at bat of the inning for an 11-2 Flames lead.

Trey Wimmer (Fr., 1B, Greenwood, S.C.), who entered the game at first base in the top of the sixth inning, hit his first collegiate home run, a solo blast over the Worthington Stadium scoreboard in left field, for the final margin of 12-2.

Evans moves to 1-0 on the season, allowing two runs, one earned, on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings. The Liberty sophomore left-hander struck out four and did not walk a batter.

Temple's White takes the loss to fall to 0-1 on the year. The Owl right-hander gave up four runs on eight hits, striking out two in five innings of work.

Leadoff and No. 2 hitter in the line-up, Williams and Redal, combined for eight of the Flames' 18 hits in the contest. Williams had four hits, driving in two runs and scoring two runs, while Redal went 4-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Jefferson, Hollinger and Doug Bream each had two hits each for Liberty. Designated hitter Rafael Cordero had two hits for Temple.

The Flames and Owls will meet in doubleheader tomorrow afternoon at Worthington Stadium. Game one's first pitch is scheduled for Noon.

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Team Stats

Williams Matt

Redal Curran

Jefferson Jeff

Hollinger Errol