Liberty University
15-6, 0
Bellarmine
8-12, 0
9th-Inning Rally Falls Short; Winning Streak Ends at 13
3/27/2021 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Liberty rallied in the ninth inning, moving the tying run to second, but came up short, falling to the Bellarmine Knights 8-7 in game one of an ASUN doubleheader, Saturday afternoon at Knights Field.
The loss ends Liberty's winning streak at 13 games, a new NCAA Division I program record for the Flames.
Down two runs in the top of the ninth, Liberty pinch hitter Brandon Rohrer led off the inning with his first home run of season to trim Bellarmine's advantage to one. The Flames then moved the tying run into scoring position at second with one out; but were unable to bring him around to score.
Liberty had won six consecutive road games and falls for the first time in ASUN play. The Flames drop to 15-6 overall and 4-1 in the ASUN Conference. Bellarmine drops to 8-12 overall and 4-4 in conference action.
Box Score Highlights
Records: Liberty (15-6, 4-1 ASUN); Bellarmine (8-12, 4-4 ASUN)
Location: Louisville, Ky. (Knights Field)
WP: Shane Barringer (2-3) | LP: David Erickson (5-1) | SV: Anthony Ethington (2)
Scoring Summary
LIBERTY – 1st INNING – Wagner doubles, Betts scores 1-0
LIBERTY- 1st INNING – Locklear grounds out, Anderson scores, 2-0
BELL – 1st INNING – Gambert singles, Finerty scores, 2-1
BELL – 1st INNING – Rouse singles, Gambert scores, 2-2
LIBERTY – 2nd INNING – Guy grounds into double play, Wilkinson scores, 3-2
LIBERTY – 4th INNING – Betts bunt single, Wilkinson scores on throwing error, 4-2
LIBERTY – 4th INNING – Anderson doubles, Betts and McDyre score, 6-2
BELL – 5th INNING – Mehlbauer homers, Finerty and Sproul score, 6-5
BELL - 6th INNING – Arndt scores on a wild pitch, 6-6
BELL – 6th INNING – Gambert files out, Finerty scores, 7-6
BELL – 6th INNNING – Higgins walks, Mehlbauer scores, 8-6
LIBERTY – 9th INNING – Rohrer homers, 8-7
Notable Numbers
- Bellarmine outhit Liberty, 10-7. Each team committed an error.
- Liberty left six men on base. Bellarmine left eight.
- Seven different Flames had a hit in the game. No Liberty player had more than one hit in the contest.
- Liberty reliever David Erickson takes his first loss of the year. Erickson falls to 5-1, allowing three runs on three hits. He struck out two and walked four.
- Reliever Cade Hungate did not allow a run over the final two innings.
- Bellarmine third baseman Josh Finerty and left fielder Chris Gambert each had three hits apiece.
- Knights shortstop Clayton Mehlbauer hit a three-run home run, his fourth of the year.
- Shane Barringer picks up the win for Bellarmine. He gave up six runs on six hits over six innings. He struck out one and walked four.
Turning Point
After closing to within one on a three-run home run by Mehlbauer in the fifth, Bellarmine plated three runs in the sixth to take an 8-6 lead. The Knights loaded the bases with one out and tied the game tied the game on a wild pitch. Gambert then lifted a sacrifice fly to put Bellarmine in front.
Beyond the Box Score
- Liberty's 13-game winning streak was the longest active streak in the nation.
- The Flames were outhit for the first time in its last five games. The last time Liberty was outhit in a contest was during its 8-4 victory over North Carolina on March 16.
- Wagner and McDyre each extend their reached base safely streak to 11 consecutive games. The streak is the longest by a Liberty player this season. McDyre and Wagner each had an RBI double in the contest.
- Catcher Gray Betts had a single in the game, stretching his hitting streak to seven games. It is the longest by a Flame this season.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Barringer, Shane (2-3)
L: Erickson, David (5-1)
S: Ethington, Anthony (2)
Batting:
2B: McDyre, Trey 1 ; Anderson, Aaron 1 ; Wagner, Will 1
HR: Rohrer, Brandon 1
RBI: Anderson, Aaron 2 ; Wagner, Will 1 ; Locklear, Cam 1 ; Rohrer, Brandon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: McDyre, Trey 1 ; Betts, Gray 2 ; Anderson, Aaron 1 ; Wilkinson, Garrett 2 ; Rohrer, Brandon 1
SB: Betts, Gray 1
Batting:
2B: Finerty, Josh 2
HR: Mehlbauer, Clayton 1
RBI: Mehlbauer, Clayton 3 ; Gambert, Chris 2 ; Rouse, Justin 1 ; Higgins, Matt 1
SF: Gambert, Chris 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Finerty, Josh 3 ; Mehlbauer, Clayton 2 ; Gambert, Chris 1 ; Arndt, Patrick 1 ; Sproul, Robert 1
HBP: Sproul, Robert 1
