VCU Edges Liberty 8-7 Tuesday

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
VCU	1	0	0	0	0	2	1	4	0	8	9	0
Liberty	1	1	1	0	1	0	1	2	0	7	12	2

VCU

Liberty

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty moved the possible tying run to third base twice in the ninth but could not tie the contest as the VCU Rams slipped past the Flames 8-7 Tuesday afternoon at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium.

After the Rams scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning to take an 8-5, the Flames cut the lead to one in the home half of the inning with two runs on a two-out pinch-hit triple by Brayden Horton.

In the bottom of the ninth, Liberty tried to rally. The Flames moved a runner to third base with one out, only to have him thrown out at home. Later in the inning, Liberty loaded the bases, but VCU reliever Owen Tappy was able to retire the next Flame to close out the game.

Liberty center fielder Kane Kepley went 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Second baseman Aiden Sweatt had two hits, including his third home run of the year for the Flames.

Liberty drops to 8-12. VCU improves to 15-6.

Box Score Highlights
Records: VCU (15-6); Liberty (8-12)
Location: Lynchburg, Va. (Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium)
WP: Zachary Peters (2-2) | LP: Bryce Dolby (0-3) | SV: Owen Tappey (2)

Scoring Summary
1^st – VCU – Iannuzzi reached on a fielding error, Eike scores, 1-0
1^st – LIBERTY – Marsh single, Kepley score, 1-1
2^nd – LIBERTY – Kepley score, Troyer scores, 2-1
3^rd – LIBERTY – Sweatt homers, 3-1
5^th – LIBERTY – Rabon doubles, Sweatt scores, 4-1
6^th – VCU – Iannuzzi scores on a wild pitch, 4-2
6^th – VCU – Fulk singles, Hill scores, 4-3
7^th – VCU - Boone hit by a pitch, Iannuzzi scores, 4-4
7^th – LIBERTY – Troyer flies out, Keeter scores, 5-4
8^th – VCU – Thilges reaches on a fielding error, Brooks scores, 5-5
8^th – VCU – Iannuzzi singles, Kleinman scores, 6-5
8^th – VCU – Hill walked, Eike scored, 7-5
8^th – VCU – Bean grounds into a double play, Thilges scores, 8-5
8^th – LIBERTY – Horton triples, Kepley and Foster scores, 8-7

Baseball - Stats - Game 20

Notable Numbers
- Liberty outhit VCU, 12-9, in the contest. Liberty committed two errors.
- The Flames left 13 men on base. The Rams left 11 men on base.
- Liberty third baseman Cam Foster had two hits and scored a run.
- The Flames used 10 pitchers in the game.
- Bryce Dolby, ninth pitcher of the contest for Liberty, takes the loss. He gave up four runs, two earned, on two hits without recording an out. He walked three batters.
- VCU reliever Zachary Peters records the win. He allowed one run without a hit, walking two and striking out one inning of work.
- Owen Tappy picked up a save for the Rams. The right-hander gave up two runs on four hits over two innings.
- Lefter fielder Ethan Iannuzzi had two hits with an RBI and scored two runs for the Rams.

Beyond the Box Score
- The contest was the first of two midweek meetings between the Flames and the Rams this season. Liberty will travel to Richmond to face VCU on April 16.
- Today's game was the final game of the Flames' eight-game homestand, their longest of 2024. Liberty went 3-5 during the homestand.
- Kepley records a multi-hit game for the second consecutive game. The outfielder's multi-hit contest was his seventh of the season.
- Foster joins Kepley with back-to-back multi-hit games. The Flames third baseman has four on the season.
- With two hits in the contest, Sweatt records his team-leading eighth multi-hit game. He also raises his batting average to .333 on the year.
- Maccadin Dye doubled in the contest. The Liberty catcher has at least one hit in each of the last eight games, the longest hitting streak for a Flame this season.

Up Next
The Flames will travel to Murfreesboro, Tenn., for their first-ever CUSA series this weekend. Liberty will square off with Middle Tennessee in a three-game series beginning on Friday. Game time at Reese Smith Jr. Field is scheduled for 6 p.m. CST/7 p.m. EST.

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Team Stats

Kane Kepley

Aidan Sweatt

Cam Foster

Tanner Marsh

Players Mentioned

Bryce Dolby

Cam Foster

Brayden Horton

Kane Kepley