Liberty University
20-24
Old Dominion
28-16
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Dominion | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
| LIBERTY | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 1 |
Liberty Walks Off Old Dominion 3-2
5/3/2023 11:18:42 PM | Baseball
Second baseman Gray Betts’ ninth-inning, two-out single scored left fielder Kane Kepley to give the Liberty Flames a 3-2 walk-off victory over the Old Dominion Monarchs, Wednesday evening at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium.
After Liberty reliever Graham Edwards came into the game with the go-ahead run on second base and no one out and ended the scoring threat, the Flames put the first two men on in the bottom of the ninth, only to have the next batters retired, before Betts rifled 0-1 pitch into right field to plate the winning run for the victory.
The Flames and Monarchs locked in a pitchers’ duel throughout the evening, with the Liberty bullpen pitching 4 1/3 scoreless inning in the win.
Betts was one of three Flames with two hits and an RBI in the contest. Center fielder Jaylen Guy and catcher Three Hillier joined the second baseman with two hits and an RBI in the game.
Liberty moves to 20-24 on the year. With the victory, the Flames snapped a four-game losing streak. Old Dominion falls to 28-16.
Box Score Highlights
Records: Old Dominion (28-16); Liberty (20-24)
Location: Lynchburg, Va. (Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium)
WP: Graham Edwards (2-1) | LP: Jacob Gomez (1-3)
Scoring Summary
1st INNING – ODU – Wheeler singles, Levari scores, 1-0
1st INNING – LIBERTY – Guy singles, Kepley scores, 1-1
3rd INNING – ODU – Wheeler files, Levari scores, 2-1
4th INNING – LIBERTY – Hillier singles, Foster scores, 2-2
9th ININNG – LIBERTY – Betts singles, Kepley scores, 3-2
Notable Numbers
- Liberty outhit Old Dominion, 12-7. The Flames committed the game’s only error.
- The Flames left 12 men on the base. The Monarchs left seven men on base.
- Liberty designated hitter Victor Castillo also had two hits.
- Edwards records the win. He retired all three batters he faced in the ninth, striking out one.
- Relievers Trey Carter, Cole Garrett, Trey Cooper, Nick Willard and Edwards combined to hold the Monarchs to two hits over the final 4 1/3 innings. They combined to strike out five and walked three batters.
- Making his first Liberty start, sophomore Ryan Butler gave up two runs on five hits over 4 2/3 innings. He struck out two and walked three.
- Jacob Gomez, the last of six Monarchs to take the mound in the game, takes the loss. He allowed one run on two hits over 1 1/3 innings. The left-hander struck out two and walked one.
- Old Dominion center fielder Thomas Wheeler had two hits and drove in both Monarch runs.
Turning Point
In the top of the ninth, the first two Old Dominion batters walked to lead off the inning, causing Liberty to go to the bullpen for Edwards. The right-hander entered and struck out Monarch third baseman Kenny Levari to strike out for the first out of the frame and got first baseman Hunter Fitz-Gerald to fly out to left. After the go-ahead run moved to third base on a wild pitch, Edwards ended the Old Dominion threat by handcuffing shortstop Alex Bouche and getting him to foul out to first base.
In the bottom of the inning, Kepley walked to open the inning and moved into scoring position on a bunt single by first baseman Brayden Horton. After the next two Flames were retired, Betts lined a single into right field, plating Kepley for the victory.
Beyond the Box Score
- Liberty wins both of its meetings with Old Dominion this season. The Flames defeated the Monarchs 9-5 in Norfolk, Va. on March 22.
- With their victory to open their five-game homestand, the Flames move to 11-7 at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium in 2023.
- Betts collects his 11th multi-hit game of the season and ties former Flames catcher Errol Hollinger (2006-09) for seventh on the program’s career hits list with 245.
- Guy records his 15th multi-hit game and leads the Flames with a .305 batting average.
- Hillier had his fourth multi-hit contest and Castillo had his fifth.
- Butler made his first start in Liberty uniform. His previous three appearances came in relief this season.
Next Up
Liberty opens a three-game ASUN series against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks on Friday at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium. The first-ever meeting between the two programs on the diamond is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Featured in Main Photo: Gray Betts
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Edwards, Graham (1-1)
L: Gomez, Jacob (1-3)
Batting:
2B: Levari, Kenny 1
RBI: Wheeler, Thomas 2
SF: Wheeler, Thomas 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Levari, Kenny 2
SB: Edwards, Kyle 1
HBP: Fitz-Gerald, Hunter 1
Batting:
2B: Guy, Jaylen 1 ; Hillier, Three 1
RBI: Guy, Jaylen 1 ; Betts, Gray 1 ; Hillier, Three 1
SH: Guy, Jaylen 1 ; Castillo, Victor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kepley, Kane 2 ; Foster, Cam 1
SB: Kepley, Kane 1
HBP: Betts, Gray 1
