Liberty University
32-19
Maryland
35-18
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 0 |
| Maryland | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 2 |
Britt Drives in 3, as Liberty Defeats Maryland, 7-6
5/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Shortstop Dalton Britt hit a home run and drove in three runs, as the Liberty Flames defeated the Maryland Terrapins, 7-6, Tuesday afternoon at Bob "Turtle" Smith Stadium.
Britt posted his 17th multi-hit game of the season in the Liberty victory with two hits. He also belted his fifth home run of the year.
Britt and first baseman Alex Close hit back-to-back home runs in the third inning. It was the first time this season that the Flames have hit back-to-back round trippers. The homer was also fifth of the season for Close. It is the first time that Liberty hit back-to-back home runs since Danny Grauer and Close connected for consecutive round trippers in an 8-0 win at Presbyterian on March 30, 2014.
Close also collected two hits and two RBI in the contest.
With the win in its final regular season non-conference game, Liberty moves to 32-19 on the year. Maryland falls to 35-18.
Liberty used the long ball in the third inning to jump out to a 3-0 advantage. Third baseman Clay Keranen singled to lead off the inning. Two batters later, Britt laced the first pitch he saw over the right-center field wall for a 2-0 edge. Close followed by lifting a home run over the left field wall and off the scoreboard right behind it for a three-run advantage.
Maryland answered in the bottom of the inning with a run of its own. With one out, left fielder Tim Lewis tripled. Two batters later, Lewis scored on a fielder's choice ground out by first baseman LaMonte Wade for a 3-1 Liberty edge after three.
The Flames upped their advantage with a run in the top of the fifth, only to see the Terrapins get the run back in the bottom of the frame. Britt reached first and moved to second on a throwing error by Terrapins third baseman Jose Cuas. Close followed with a single back through the middle of the diamond, cashing in Britt for a 4-1 lead.
In the bottom of the inning after a lengthy at bat with two out, Wade lined a home run, his second of the year, inside the right field foul pole, cutting the Flames lead to 4-2.
Liberty extended its cushion on the scoreboard to three with a run in the seventh. With one out, center fielder Ashton Perritt beat out an infield single and moved to second on a single by Britt. After Close received an intentional walk, catcher Becker Sankey lifted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Perritt and giving the Flames a 5-2 lead.
In the bottom of the inning, the Terps plated two runs to once again cut the Liberty advantage to one run. With two men aboard, shortstop Kevin Smith lined a one-out double off the top of the wall to plate the first run of the home half of the frame. But, the Flames threw out Wade trying to score for the second out of the inning.
Second baseman Brandon Lowe followed with a run-scoring triple to trim the Liberty lead to 5-4. The Flames then brought Perritt in to pitch for starter Matt Pennington, and the right-hander was able to get Terrapin catcher Kevin Matir to fly out to end the inning, stranding the tying run at third.
Liberty added two insurance runs in the eighth. With one out, Aaron Strooosma, who entered as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the seventh, singled. Second baseman Nick Salisbury followed with a hit-and-run single, scoring Stroosma all the way from first for a 6-4 edge. Keranen and Perritt then both walked to load the bases for Britt, who lifted a sacrifice fly for a 7-4 advantage.
Maryland rallied in the ninth and brought the winning run to plate to hit. Center fielder Kengo Kawahara was hit by a pitch, Wade singled and Smith beat out an infield single to load the bases to open the inning.
But, Perritt battled back. Lowe lifted a sacrifice fly to slice the Liberty advantage to 7-5, before getting Matir to bounce out, cutting the Flames' lead to 7-6. With the tying run on second, Perritt then struck out Cuas to close out the victory, earning his second save.
Pennington moves to 3-1 on the season. The left-hander has won three straight starts. He allowed four runs on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings. The senior struck out six and walked three batters.
Perritt pitched the final 2 1/3 innings. He allowed two runs on three hits. He struck out two batters in recording the save.
Maryland starter Tyler Bloom falls to 1-2 on the year. The right-hander gave up three runs on four hits over three innings. The first of seven pitchers for the Terrapins, he struck out two batters and walked one.
Liberty collected nine hits in the contest. Maryland had 10 hits and committed two errors.
The Flames return home for a three-game Big South series against the High Point Panthers at Liberty Baseball Stadium to close out the 2015 regular season schedule. The series gets underway, Thursday at 7 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Pennington, Matt (3-1)
L: Taylor Bloom (1-2)
S: Perritt, Ashton (2)
Batting:
HR: Britt, Dalton 1 ; Close, Alex 1
RBI: Britt, Dalton 3 ; Close, Alex 2 ; Sankey, Becker 1 ; Salisbury, Nick 1
SF: Britt, Dalton 1 ; Sankey, Becker 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Perritt, Ashton 1 ; Britt, Dalton 2 ; Close, Alex 1 ; Stroosma, Aaron 1 ; Salisbury, Nick 1 ; Keranen, Clay 1
Batting:
2B: Kevin Smith 1
3B: Brandon Lowe 1 ; Tim Lewis 1
HR: LaMonte Wade 1
RBI: LaMonte Wade 2 ; Kevin Smith 1 ; Brandon Lowe 2 ; Kevin Martir 1
SF: Brandon Lowe 1
Base Running:
RUNS: LaMonte Wade 2 ; Kevin Smith 1 ; Tim Lewis 1 ; Kengo Kawahara 2
HBP: Brandon Lowe 1 ; Kengo Kawahara 2
PO: LaMonte Wade 1
