Liberty University
1-3
Duke
2-2
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIBERTY | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 10 | 2 |
| Duke | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 2 |
Liberty Hits 3 Home Runs; Powers Past Duke 8-6
2/22/2023 8:43:00 PM | Baseball
Liberty right-fielder Camden Troyer, shortstop Jake Lazzaro and catcher Gray Betts each hit home runs as the Flames dropped the Duke Blue Devils 8-6, Wednesday afternoon at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
Troyer, who had two hits in the contest, belted a three-run home run as part of a five-run third inning for the Flames. Lazzaro and Betts hit back-to-back solo home runs in the fourth inning. Betts also had two hits in the contest.
Liberty collects its first win of 2023 and moves to 1-3. Duke drops to 2-2 on the year.
Box Score Highlights Records: Liberty (1-3); Duke (2-2) Location: Durham, N.C. (Durham Bulls Athletic Park) WP: Garrett Gainey (1-0) | LP: Jason White (0-1) | SV: Cole Hertzler (1)
 Scoring Summary2nd INNING – DUKE - Lux homers, 1-0 3rd INNING – LIBERTY – Foster singles, Betts scores, 1-1 3rd INNING – LIBERTY – Fielding error by the second baseman, Betts scores, 2-1 3rd INNING – LIBERTY – Troyer homers, Hillier and Foster score, 5-1 8th INNING – DUKE – Mooney singles, Albright scores, 8-6
Notable Numbers- Each team had 10 hits in the contest. Liberty committed three errors in the game. Duke made two.- Liberty left eight men on base. Duke left nine men aboard.- Nine of Liberty's 10 hits were by hitters 1-5 in the batting order.- Troyer's home run was his second of the season. Betts and Lazzaro each hit their first. - Liberty starter Garrett Gainey records the win. The left-hander pitched 4 1/3 -plus innings, giving up three runs on five hits. He struck out five and walked two.
 The Turning Point Liberty plated five runs in the third inning, all with two outs. Cam Foster singled home Betts to tie the game at 1-1, and a Blue Devils' fielding error on a ground ball by left fielder Three Hillier allowed designated hitter Victor Castillo to score for a 2-1 lead. Troyer followed by ripping a 3-2 pitch over the left field wall for a 5-1 lead which the Flames never relinquished. Duke tried to rally in the bottom of the eighth, loading the bases with no outs and scoring two runs. However, right-hander Cole Hertzler came out of the Liberty bullpen and retired Blue Devils second baseman Jay Beshears with two runners aboard and two outs to end the rally.
 Beyond the Box Score- Liberty has won its last five meetings with Duke. The two teams will meet again at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium on March 28. - After recording three hits for his first multi-hit game of 2023 at Southern Miss on Sunday, Betts followed with two hits this afternoon for his straight multi-hit game. The Flames catcher also scored two runs in the contest. - With two hits in the contest, Troyer posts his first multi-hit game of the season. - Hillier and Foster joined Betts and Troyer with two hits each in the contest. It is the first multi-hit game for each player this season. Hillier also threw out a Duke runner at home in the eighth inning. - Not only was Lazzaro's home run his first of the season, but his first in a Liberty uniform. - Making his first start at Liberty, Gainey records his first victory as a Flame.
Up NextLiberty finishes its seven-game road swing to open the 2023 season this weekend. The Flames will travel to Rock Hill, S.C., for a three-game series against the Winthrop Eagles. The series gets underway at the Winthrop Ballpark on Friday. Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Featured in Main Photo: Camden Troyer
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gainey, Garrett (1-0)
L: A. Healy (0-1)
S: Hertzler, Cole (1)
Batting:
2B: Foster, Cam 1
3B: Betts, Gray 1
HR: Betts, Gray 1 ; Troyer, Camden 1 ; Lazzaro, Jake 1
RBI: Betts, Gray 1 ; Foster, Cam 1 ; Troyer, Camden 3 ; Lazzaro, Jake 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Betts, Gray 2 ; Castillo, Victor 1 ; Foster, Cam 1 ; Hillier, Three 1 ; Troyer, Camden 1 ; Guy, Jaylen 1 ; Lazzaro, Jake 1
SB: Guy, Jaylen 1
CS: Castillo, Victor 1
HBP: Betts, Gray 1 ; Foster, Cam 1 ; Guy, Jaylen 1
Batting:
2B: A. Mooney 1 ; J. Beshears 1 ; J. Santucci 1
HR: D. Lux 1
RBI: A. Mooney 2 ; J. Beshears 2 ; D. Lux 1 ; C. Hebble 1
Base Running:
RUNS: A. Mooney 1 ; L. Storm 1 ; D. Lux 1 ; M. Metz 1 ; T. Albright 1 ; J. Santucci 1
