Liberty to Open Season at No. 18 Southern Miss
2/15/2023 7:37:12 PM | Baseball
LIBERTY at No. 18 SOUTHERN MISS
Feb. 17-19
Pete Taylor Park
Friday – 5 p.m.
Saturday - 5 p.m.
Sunday - 12:30 p.m.
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Quick Hits
- For the 17th time in the last 18 seasons, the Liberty Flames will open the 2023 season on the road with a three-game series at the No. 18 Southern Miss Golden Eagles at Pete Taylor Park, Feb. 17-19.
- Last season, the Flames posted a 37-22 overall record and for the first time in program history, appeared in an NCAA Regional for the third consecutive season. Liberty received an at-large selection to the NCAA Gainesville, Fla., Regional in 2022.
- After finishing 19-11 and tying for first place in the ASUN East Division in 2022, Liberty has been voted to finish on top of the ASUN Conference in its final season in the league in 2023. Liberty will move to Conference USA in July of this year
- The Flames won two of their three-game series at No. 9 Florida to open the 2022 season. Liberty fell in the opener, only to rebound and win the series’ final two games. Since 1976, the Flames are 28-20.
- Head Coach Scott Jackson is in his seventh season at Liberty. The 2021 ASUN Coach of the Year has led the Flames to a 195-116 record and three NCAA Regional appearances, the most of any coach in program history.
For Openers
- Liberty will open its season away from Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium for the 17th time in the last 18 years. The Flames are 28-20 in season lid-lifters since 1976 (no records available for 1974 or 1975).
- The Flames opened the 2022 season by falling then-No. 9 Florida 7-2 in Gainesville. Fla. However, Liberty rebounded to win the next two games from the Gators to take the series.
- Liberty will open its season away from Lynchburg, Va. for the 31st time in program history on Friday. The Flames are 12-14 in away contests and 3-2 in neutral site games in season openers during the span.
Flames Selected to Top ASUN Conference in 2023
- For the fourth consecutive season, Liberty has been selected to finish first in league standings in its final year in the league by the conference's head coaches in the 2023 ASUN Preseason Baseball Poll.
- The coaches also voted Liberty left-hander Garrett Horn as the 2023 ASUN Preseason Pitcher of the Year and selected him to the Preseason All-Conference team.
- This season, the 14-team ASUN Conference will play a 30-game regular season schedule. The the top six teams, based on ASUN winning percentage, will automatically qualifying for the ASUN Tournament. The final teams of the eight-team field will qualify based on the highest NCAA RPI of the remaining teams.
- Stetson will host the 2023 ASUN Baseball Championship, May 23-27, in DeLand, Fla. The ASUN Champion claims the conference’s automatic bid to a 2023 NCAA Regional.
2023 ASUN Preseason Poll
Pl. Team (1st Place Votes) Points
- Liberty (10) 191
- Kennesaw State (2) 173
- FGCU (2) 161
- Lipscomb 142
- Eastern Kentucky 134
- Stetson 117
- Jacksonville State 116
- Jacksonville 114
- North Florida 90
- Central Arkansas 84
- Austin Peay 60
- North Alabama 34
- Bellarmine 29
- Queens 25
Jackson Nears 200
- Liberty head coach Scott Jackson enters the 2023 season with 195 career victories, five shy of 200.
- The Flames have posted a 195-116 career mark and averaged 37 wins in the five full seasons Jackson has been at the helm of the program. (LU had a 10-7 in 2020 when the season was halted due to CoVID).
- Jackson will become the third of the Flames' seven head coaches in program history to reach 200 victories. Liberty's first coach Al Worthington guided the Flames to a school record in wins with a 343-189-1 career mark over his 13 seasons from 1974-86, while Jim Toman posted a 329-205-1 over nine seasons from 2008-16.
- Jackson is the only head coach in program history to guide Liberty to three straight NCAA Regional appearances, leading the Flames to the 2019, 2021, and 2022 NCAA Tournament
Featured in Main Photo (left to right): Garrett Horn, Cam Foster, Gray Betts, Trey Carter and Jaylen Guy
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