Liberty to Open Season with 3-Game Series at Campbell, this Weekend

LIBERTY at CAMPBELL
Feb. 19-21
Jim Perry Stadium
Buies Creek, N.C.

Friday – 5 p.m.
Saturday - 3 p.m.
Sunday - 1 p.m.

Television Coverage: ESPN+

LFSN Audio Coverage: Liberty Online Audio

Live Stats

Quick Hits
• Liberty will open its 2021 season and begin the program's 49th year with a three-game series at Campbell, Friday-Sunday at Jim Perry Stadium in Buies Creek, N.C. The Flames will open their season on the road for the 15th out of the past 16 years.
• The Flames have posted a 27-19 mark in season openers since 1976. Last year, Liberty fell 5-3 at Clemson to open the year.
• Formerly rivals in the Big South Conference, Liberty leads Campbell in the all-time series between the two teams, 27-26. The two teams will be meeting for the first time since 2018.
• Liberty, the 2019 ASUN Champion, was voted by the league's head coaches to once again win the conference in 2021. Four Flames were named to the 2021 Preseason All-Conference team, including shortstop Cam Locklear, who was named the ASUN's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
• Liberty welcomes 17 new faces to their 2021 roster. Among the newcomers are nine transfers.
• Flames head coach Scott Jackson begins his fifth season at Liberty. He has led the Flames to a 177-77 record and a NCAA Regional appearance during his tenure.

Around the Diamond

C Junior Brady Gulakowski and sophomore Gray Betts are expected to share the catching duties for the Flames this season. Gulakowski hit .267 and drove in nine runs in 16 games in his first season at Liberty in 2020. Betts has seen action behind the plate, but most of his playing time has come in left field.
1B Liberty wil see the return of Logan Mathieu at first base in 2021. The junior sat out last season after an injury. Mathieu was named to the 2021 ASUN Preseason All-Conference team. He led the ASUN with 52 RBI in 2019.
SS Named the ASUN Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and to the Preseason All-Conference team, Locklear was hitting .316 with nine RBI in 17 games before the season was halted in 2020. A four-year starter at shortstop, Locklear led the ASUN in fielding assists in 2019.
3B Senior Trey McDyre moves from second base to third this season. McDyre started at third for the Flames during his freshman season. Playing mostly at second base in 2020, he was off to a good start at the plate, hitting .288 with six RBI and 11 runs scored. Before the season was halted, he was hitting a team-leading .343 over the last 10 games.
LF For the second consecutive season, Betts was named to the ASUN Preseason All-Conference team. He had quite a freshman year in 2019, hitting .314 and finished second in the conference with a .455 on base percentage.
CF For the third straight year, Jaylen Guy will patrol center fielder. In 2019, he led the Flames in stolen bases with 11. Last season, he had the longest reached base streak of any Flames, reaching base in 12 consecutive games.
RF Brandon Rohrer returns for the third consecutive year to man right field. Rohrer enters the season with a .277 career batting average and 71 runs scored in 131 games in a Liberty uniform.
SP Two newcomers to the Flames are slated to be part of the Liberty rotation in 2021. Trevor Delaite, a transfer from Maine, and freshman Trey Gibson are expected to start Friday and Saturday's games, respectively. Junior left-hander Mason Meyer returns for his third season at Liberty. Last season, he was Liberty's opening day starter.
RP Right-hander Landon Riley returns to the Liberty relief corps after an outstanding start to the 2020 year. Riley had picked up a decision in six of his seven appearances out of the pen with a 2-0 record and four saves. Also, returning are right-handers Cole Garrett and David Erickson.

Schedule