Liberty University
25-14, 11-3
Longwood
16-21, 4-10
Seven-Run Fourth Propels Liberty Past Longwood in Game 1
4/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
A seven-run fourth inning helped power the Liberty Flames past the Longwood Lancers, 11-3, in game one of a Big South doubleheader at Charles "Buddy" Bolding Stadium, Saturday.
Liberty plated seven runs on seven hits and three Lancers errors in the fourth inning, its largest inning run total of the season. The inning was fueled by four extra base hits - two doubles, a triple and a home run.
Shortstop Dalton Britt posted his fourth three-hit game of the year. He drove in two runs and scored twice.
Becker Sankey hit his 11th home run and his second in two games. The catcher leads the Big South and the Flames in round trippers.
Liberty moves to 11-3 in Big South Conference play and 25-14 overall. The Flames have won 10 of their last 11 conference contests. Longwood drops to 4-10 in conference play and 16-21 overall.
Liberty struck for a run in its opening at bat. Center fielder Ashton Perritt tripled into the right field corner to lead off the game. Two batters later, first baseman Alex Close lined a single back through the middle of the diamond to plate Perritt for a 1-0 edge.
Longwood tied the contest in the bottom of second. Right fielder Brandon Delk opened the inning with a double into the right field corner and later, scored on a one-out infield single by shortstop Michael Osinski.
The Lancers took their first lead of the series in the third. With one out, center fielder Colton Konvicka reached on an infield single and advanced to second when Connor Bastaich was hit by a pitch. Left fielder Kyri Washington followed with a run-scoring single for a 2-1 Longwood advantage.
Liberty answered with its seven-run uprising in the fourth. Britt opened the inning with an opposite field single. Two batters later, Sankey belted a home run over the right field fence and off the scoreboard at Bolding Stadium to put Liberty back in front, 3-2. Right fielder Will Shepherd followed with a triple to the bottom of the left-center field wall and scored on a double by third baseman Sammy Taormina for the third run of the inning.
Two batters later, left fielder Josh Close lined a two-out single to left field to plate Taormina for a 5-2 advantage. After the runner moved to third on a wild throw on a pickoff attempt, Longwood right fielder Delk dropped a fly ball by second baseman Clay Kernanen, allowing Close to score. After a RBI double by Perritt made it, 7-2, Britt singled for his second hit of the inning, plating Perritt for a commanding 8-2 lead.
Longwood scored a run in the sixth. A single by Delk and a double by designated hitter Alex Lewis put Lancers at second and third with one out. Osinski followed with a run-scoring ground out to make it, 8-3 Liberty.
The Flames tacked on two runs in the seventh. Britt led off the inning with a double and came around to score on a single by Alex Close. After taking second on a throw to the plate and third on a wild pitch, Alex Close scored on another wild pitch for a 10-3 lead.
Liberty added a run in the eighth on a fielder's choice ground out by Britt for an 11-3 advantage.
Liberty starting pitcher Jared Lyons moves to 6-1 on the year. The senior allowed three runs on seven hits over seven innings. The left-hander struck out three and did not walk a batter.
Longwood starter Brandon Vick falls to 2-5 on the season. The left-hander was roughed up for six runs on seven hits over 3 2/3-plus innings. He struck out four and did not walk a batter.
Liberty banged out 15 hits. Besides Britt with three hits, the Flames had five players with two hits apiece. Longwood collected seven hits.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lyons, Jared (6-1)
L: VICK, B. (2-5)
Batting:
2B: Perritt, Ashton 1 ; Britt, Dalton 1 ; Sankey, Becker 1 ; Taormina, Sammy 1
3B: Perritt, Ashton 1 ; Shepherd, Will 1
HR: Sankey, Becker 1
RBI: Perritt, Ashton 1 ; Britt, Dalton 2 ; Close, Alex 2 ; Sankey, Becker 2 ; Taormina, Sammy 1 ; Close, Josh 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Perritt, Ashton 2 ; Britt, Dalton 2 ; Close, Alex 1 ; Sankey, Becker 1 ; Shepherd, Will 1 ; Taormina, Sammy 1 ; Roberts, Tray 1 ; Close, Josh 1 ; Keranen, Clay 1
SB: Shepherd, Will 1 ; Close, Josh 1
CS: Close, Alex 1 ; Close, Josh 1
HBP: Perry, Derek 1
PO: Sankey, Becker 1
Batting:
2B: DELK, B. 1 ; LEWIS, A. 1
RBI: WASHINGTON 1 ; OSINSKI, M. 2
Base Running:
RUNS: KONVICKA, C. 1 ; DELK, B. 2
HBP: BASTAICH, C. 1
