Liberty University
26-27, 10-12
High Point
31-20, 14-8
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIBERTY | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 14 | 3 |
| High Point | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | X | 11 | 11 | 2 |
Liberty Erases Early High Point Lead, Before Falling in Game 1, 11-8
5/19/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
After seeing Liberty score eight unanswered runs to take an 8-6 advantage, the High Point Panthers plated two runs in the seventh and three in the eighth for an 11-8 victory over the Flames in game one of a doubleheader, Thursday at Coy O. Willard Stadium.
The Panthers jumped out to a 6-0 advantage through the first four innings of the Big South Conference contest, only to see the Flames score three times in the fifth and five times in the sixth to take an 8-6 lead. But, High Point recovered to tie the contest at 8-8 in the seventh and take the lead with three runs in the eighth. A two-run home run by second baseman Hunter Lee, who had two hits and four RBI in the contest, broke the tie in the eighth.
Liberty first baseman Andrew Yacyk collected his team-leading eighth three-hit game of the season. Yacyk hit his seventh home run of the year, a two-run shot, to break a 6-6 tie in the fifth. He drove in three runs in the game. It is his ninth game of the season and his third in his last four games with three or more RBI.
Flames designated hitter Josh Latta also had three hits. He had a RBI and scored a run.
Liberty falls to 10-12 in Big South play and 26-27 overall. High Point improves to 14-8 in the conference and 31-20 overall.
The Panthers staked themselves to a 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning. Right fielder Austen Zente walked and left fielder Tim Mansfield was hit by a pitch to open the frame. Shortstop Chris Clare followed with a single back through the center of the infield to plate Zente for a 1-0 edge. Two batters later, second baseman Hunter Lee lifted a run-scoring sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead.
High Point extended its advantage in the third. With one out, Mansfield walked. Two batters later, third baseman Dominic Fazio walked. Lee followed with a two-out single to score Mansfield for a 3-0 edge. First baseman Carson Jackson then singled, plating two more runs to build a 5-0 lead.
The Panthers' center fielder, Josh Greene, added to the home team's lead in the fourth. Greene opened the inning with his fourth home run of the season, giving High Point a 6-0 advantage.
Liberty broke through for three runs in the top of the fifth. Designated hitter Josh Latta led off the inning with a single. Third baseman Eric Grabowski was then hit by a pitch and center fielder Jack Morris walked to load the bases. Left fielder D.J. Artis followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Latta with the Flames' first run of the contest. Two batters later, Yacyk dropped a single into right field to plate another run, cutting the Panthers' lead to 6-2. A deep fly out to center field followed, scoring Morris and slicing the High Point edge to three at 6-3.
The Flames followed their three-run fifth with five runs in the sixth to take the lead. Catcher Payton Scarbrough doubled into the left field corner to open the inning and scored on a single by Latta, trimming the High Point lead to 6-4.
After a High Point pitching change, Grabowski singled and center fielder Jack Morris reached on a fielder's choice. With one away, both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Artis then plated Grabowski with a RBI single and right fielder Will Shepherd lifted a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 6-6. Yacyk followed with a two-run blast over the right-center field fence for an 8-6 lead.
After seeing Liberty score eight unanswered runs, High Point tied the game in the seventh. With one out, designated hitter Zach Vandergrift and Greene hit back-to-back singles. Both runners then moved into scoring position on a ground out and scored on a two-out single by Zente, knotting the game at 8-8.
The Panthers scored three in the eighth to take back the lead. With one out, Fazio reached on a throwing error by Liberty shortstop Britt and was aboard on Lee's third home run of the season. Later in the inning, Luke Parker, who entered the game as a pinch runner in the seventh, walked with two outs and scored on a single by Greene, his second RBI of the game, for what proved to be the final score of 11-8.
In the ninth, Scarbrough singled with one out, his second hit of the contest, but High Point reliever Tyler Britton retired the next two batters to close out the victory.
Liberty reliever Zander Clouse falls to 4-3 on the year. He gave up three runs on two hits. The right-hander walked one.
The Flames used five pitchers in the contest, combining to strike out one and walk seven.
High Point right-hander Britton moves to 6-1. He allowed three runs on six hits over four innings of relief. He struck out five and walked one.
Liberty collected 15 hits. High Point had 11. The Flames committed three errors, while the Panthers made two.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: BRITTON, Tyler (6-1)
L: Clouse, Zander (4-3)
Batting:
2B: Scarbrough, Payton 1
HR: Yacyk, Andrew 1
RBI: Artis, D.J. 2 ; Shepherd, Will 1 ; Yacyk, Andrew 3 ; Britt, Dalton 1 ; Latta, Josh 1
SH: Shepherd, Will 1
SF: Artis, D.J. 1 ; Shepherd, Will 1 ; Britt, Dalton 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Artis, D.J. 1 ; Yacyk, Andrew 1 ; Scarbrough, Payton 1 ; Latta, Josh 1 ; Grabowski, Eric 2 ; Morris, Jack 2
HBP: Grabowski, Eric 1
Batting:
HR: LEE, Hunter 1 ; GREENE, Josh 1
RBI: ZENTE, Austen 2 ; CLARE, Chris 1 ; LEE, Hunter 4 ; JACKSON, Carson 2 ; GREENE, Josh 2
SF: LEE, Hunter 1
Base Running:
RUNS: ZENTE, Austen 1 ; MANSFIELD, Tim 2 ; FAZIO, Dominic 2 ; LEE, Hunter 2 ; PARKER, Luke 2 ; GREENE, Josh 2
SB: ZENTE, Austen 1 ; PARKER, Luke 1
HBP: ZENTE, Austen 1
