Liberty University
31-17, 15-4
Coastal Carolina
32-16, 14-5
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 2 |
| Coastal Carolina | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 3 |
Liberty Comes From Behind for 7-5 Win Over No. 26 Coastal Carolina
5/8/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
The Liberty Flames erased an early 3-0 deficit en route to a 7-5 victory over the No. 26 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, Friday evening at Springs Brooks Stadium.
Host Coastal Carolina built a 3-0 advantage through the first three innings, benefitting from two Flames errors, only to see Liberty plate seven runs on 11 hits over the final six for the comeback win.
First baseman/pitcher Alex Close collected two hits, including his fourth home run of the season, and recorded his sixth save of the year for the Flames. Designated hitter Andrew Yacyk collected two hits, a two-run single and a double.
Liberty takes the first game of a three-game Big South series between the two teams, moving to 15-4 in the conference and 31-17 overall. The Flames have won three straight games.
Coastal Carolina drops to 14-5 in conference and 32-16 overall.
The host Chanticleers used a Liberty miscue to take a 2-0 lead after one inning of play. Center fielder Anthony Marks ended up on third base to open the home half of the first, as his fly ball to center field was dropped by Flames center field Aaron Stroosma. Shortstop Michael Paez followed with a RBI single for a 1-0 edge. Paez then moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by left fielder Connor Owings and scored on a two-out single by third baseman Zach Remillard.
Coastal Carolina plated another run in the third inning, benefitting from another Liberty error. Paez walked to begin the bottom of the frame. Two batters later, he moved to second on a fielding error by Flames second baseman Nick Salisbury on a grounder by Remillard. Designated hitter G.K. Young followed with a single to center field to score Paez for a 3-0 advantage.
Close's home run in the fourth gave Liberty its first run of the contest. Leading off the inning, Close belted a 3-1 pitch over the center field wall, cutting the Chanticleers' edge to 3-1.
Liberty plated three in the top of the fifth. Center fielder Ashton Perritt walked and shortstop Dalton Britt singled to open the top of the frame. Two batters later, catcher Becker Sankey ripped a liner back through the middle of the diamond, scoring Perritt with the first run of the inning.
After a sacrifice bunt by right fielder Will Shepherd moved both runners into scoring position, third baseman Sammy Taormina was intentionally walked to load the bases with two out. Yacyk followed by lining a two-run single into center field for a 4-3 Liberty lead.
In the bottom of the inning, Coastal Carolina's Owings hit his sixth home run of the season, knotting the game at 4-4.
Liberty struck for two runs in the seventh to go back in front on the scoreboard. Yacyk led off the inning with a double off the right field wall and scored on a triple into the left-center field gap by Nick Paxton, who entered the game as a pinch hitter in the sixth, for a 5-4 advantage. Salisbury then plated Paxton with a squeeze bunt for a 6-4 Liberty lead.
The Flames added an insurance run in the eighth. Shepherd opened the inning with a single and stole second base. Later, a two-out wild pitche allowed Shepherd to move to third. He then scored on an errant throw on a pickoff attempt by Chanticleers catcher Casey Schroeder for a 7-4 advantage.
Coastal Carolina pushed a run across and brought the winning run to the plate in the ninth. However, Close was able to get to Schroeder to fly out with runners on second and third to seal the Liberty 7-5 victory.
Lyons moves to 8-1 on the season. The left-hander gave up five runs, two earned, on seven hits over eight-plus innings. The senior struck out a career-high 11 and walked four batters.
Reliever Andrew Beckwith falls to 4-3 on the year. The second of three Coastal Carolina pitchers, Beckwith allowed three runs on six hits over 2 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked three batters.
Liberty collected 12 hits. Britt joined Close and Yacyk with two hits in the contest.
The Flames and Chanticleers will meet again tomorrow at Springs Brooks Stadium. First pitch has been moved up to 11 a.m. due to inclement weather forecast for the Conway area.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lyons, Jared (8-1)
L: BECKWITH, Andrew (4-3)
S: Close, Alex (6)
Batting:
2B: Perritt, Ashton 1 ; Yacyk, Andrew 1
3B: Paxton, Nick 1
HR: Close, Alex 1
RBI: Close, Alex 1 ; Sankey, Becker 1 ; Yacyk, Andrew 2 ; Paxton, Nick 1 ; Salisbury, Nick 1
SH: Shepherd, Will 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Perritt, Ashton 1 ; Britt, Dalton 1 ; Close, Alex 1 ; Sankey, Becker 1 ; Shepherd, Will 1 ; Yacyk, Andrew 1 ; Paxton, Nick 1
SB: Sankey, Becker 1 ; Shepherd, Will 1
CS: Britt, Dalton 1
HBP: Sankey, Becker 1
Batting:
2B: PAEZ, Michael 1 ; LANCASTER, Seth 1
HR: OWINGS, Connor 1
RBI: PAEZ, Michael 1 ; OWINGS, Connor 1 ; REMILLARD, Zach 1 ; YOUNG, G.K. 2
SH: OWINGS, Connor 1
SF: REMILLARD, Zach 1
Base Running:
RUNS: MARKS, Anthony 2 ; PAEZ, Michael 2 ; OWINGS, Connor 1
