Friday, April 5
Las Cruces, N.M.
8:00 PM ET/6:00 PM MT
Liberty University
14-15, 6-1
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New Mexico State
11-17, 1-6
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Liberty Flames
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NM State
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Liberty Powers Past New Mexico State in Series Opener
4/6/2024 12:33:00 AM | Baseball
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Right-hander Cole Hertzler held the host Aggies in check and catcher Maccadin Dye had four hits, including a home run, as the Liberty Flames topped New Mexico State 9-3 in the opener of their CUSA series Friday evening at Presley Askew Field.
Hertzler won for the third time in as many outings, scattering three hits and allowing three runs, two earned, over seven innings. The junior struck out seven and walked in the contest. He held the Aggies without a hit from the first inning with one out until the sixth inning with one out and at one point during his start retired eight in a row.
Dye went 4-for-5 with a double and his fourth home run of the year in the contest. He drove in three and scored twice for the Flames.
First baseman Brian McClellin and left fielder Brayden Horton also hit home runs for Liberty. McClellin hit two home runs, his third and fourth of the season, while Horton had hits, including his team-leading sixth home run of the season, and scored three times.
The Flames have won five straight conference games and moved to 6-1 in conference and 14-15 overall. The Aggies fall to 1-6 in conference play and 11-17 overall.
Box Score Highlights
Records: Liberty (14-15, 6-1 CUSA); New Mexico State (11-17, 1-6 CUSA)
Location: Las Cruces, N.M. (Presley Askew Field)
WP: Cole Hertzler (4-3) | LP: Hayden Lewis (2-3) | SV: Ben Blair (1)
Scoring Summary
1st – NMSU – Jones homers, 1-0
2nd – LIBERTY – McClellin homers, 1-1
3rd – NMSU – Dumitru scores on a throwing error, 2-1
5th – LIBERTY – McClellin homers, 2-2
5th – LIBERTY – Sweatt singles, Horton scores, 3-2
6th – NMSU – Hale doubles, Namie scores, 3-3
7th – LIBERTY – Marsh doubles, Horton scores, 4-3
7th – LIBERTY – Dye homers, Marsh scores, 6-3
9th – LIBERTY – Horton homers, 7-3
9th – LIBERTY – Dye singles, Sweatt scores, 8-3
9th – LIBERTY – Hudson doubles, Dye scores, 9-3
Notable Numbers
- Liberty outhit New Mexico State, 14-4. Each team committed an error in the contest.
- Both the Flames and the Aggies each left six men on base.
- Liberty hit .538 (7-for-13) and scored seven times with two outs.
- Flames shortstop Tanner Marsh had two hits, a double, an RBI and a run scored in the game.
- Liberty reliever Ben Blair gave up just one hit over the final two innings to earn his first collegiate save. He struck out three and did not walk a batter.
- New Mexico State reliever Hayden Lewis records the loss, allowing three runs on four hits over three innings. He struck out five and walked one batter.
- No Aggie had more than one hit in the game. Left fielder Keith Jones II hit his sixth home run of the season for New Mexico State.
Beyond the Box Score
- Tonight's game was the first-ever meeting between Liberty and New Mexico State on the diamond. It was also the first time that the Flames had played a baseball game in the state of New Mexico.
- Hertzler lowers his ERA to 3.67 for the season. The right-hander is currently third in CUSA in innings pitched (41 2/3) and fourth in CUSA in ERA.
- Dye records the first four-hit game of his career and his ninth multi-hit game of the season. The freshman leads the Flames with eight multi-RBI games.
- McClellin hits two home runs in a game for the first time this season. He also recorded his sixth multi-hit game of 2024.
- Horton has hit five home runs over his last 10 games. He has also had two or more hits in four of the last seven games and is hitting .522 over the span.
- Marsh
Up Next
Liberty and New Mexico State will meet again tomorrow. Game time at Presley Askew Field is scheduled for 4 p.m. EST/2 p.m. MST.
Hertzler won for the third time in as many outings, scattering three hits and allowing three runs, two earned, over seven innings. The junior struck out seven and walked in the contest. He held the Aggies without a hit from the first inning with one out until the sixth inning with one out and at one point during his start retired eight in a row.
Dye went 4-for-5 with a double and his fourth home run of the year in the contest. He drove in three and scored twice for the Flames.
First baseman Brian McClellin and left fielder Brayden Horton also hit home runs for Liberty. McClellin hit two home runs, his third and fourth of the season, while Horton had hits, including his team-leading sixth home run of the season, and scored three times.
The Flames have won five straight conference games and moved to 6-1 in conference and 14-15 overall. The Aggies fall to 1-6 in conference play and 11-17 overall.
Box Score Highlights
Records: Liberty (14-15, 6-1 CUSA); New Mexico State (11-17, 1-6 CUSA)
Location: Las Cruces, N.M. (Presley Askew Field)
WP: Cole Hertzler (4-3) | LP: Hayden Lewis (2-3) | SV: Ben Blair (1)
Scoring Summary
1st – NMSU – Jones homers, 1-0
2nd – LIBERTY – McClellin homers, 1-1
3rd – NMSU – Dumitru scores on a throwing error, 2-1
5th – LIBERTY – McClellin homers, 2-2
5th – LIBERTY – Sweatt singles, Horton scores, 3-2
6th – NMSU – Hale doubles, Namie scores, 3-3
7th – LIBERTY – Marsh doubles, Horton scores, 4-3
7th – LIBERTY – Dye homers, Marsh scores, 6-3
9th – LIBERTY – Horton homers, 7-3
9th – LIBERTY – Dye singles, Sweatt scores, 8-3
9th – LIBERTY – Hudson doubles, Dye scores, 9-3
Notable Numbers
- Liberty outhit New Mexico State, 14-4. Each team committed an error in the contest.
- Both the Flames and the Aggies each left six men on base.
- Liberty hit .538 (7-for-13) and scored seven times with two outs.
- Flames shortstop Tanner Marsh had two hits, a double, an RBI and a run scored in the game.
- Liberty reliever Ben Blair gave up just one hit over the final two innings to earn his first collegiate save. He struck out three and did not walk a batter.
- New Mexico State reliever Hayden Lewis records the loss, allowing three runs on four hits over three innings. He struck out five and walked one batter.
- No Aggie had more than one hit in the game. Left fielder Keith Jones II hit his sixth home run of the season for New Mexico State.
Beyond the Box Score
- Tonight's game was the first-ever meeting between Liberty and New Mexico State on the diamond. It was also the first time that the Flames had played a baseball game in the state of New Mexico.
- Hertzler lowers his ERA to 3.67 for the season. The right-hander is currently third in CUSA in innings pitched (41 2/3) and fourth in CUSA in ERA.
- Dye records the first four-hit game of his career and his ninth multi-hit game of the season. The freshman leads the Flames with eight multi-RBI games.
- McClellin hits two home runs in a game for the first time this season. He also recorded his sixth multi-hit game of 2024.
- Horton has hit five home runs over his last 10 games. He has also had two or more hits in four of the last seven games and is hitting .522 over the span.
- Marsh
Up Next
Liberty and New Mexico State will meet again tomorrow. Game time at Presley Askew Field is scheduled for 4 p.m. EST/2 p.m. MST.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hertzler, Cole (4-3)
L: Hayden Lewis (2-3)
S: Blair, Ben (1)
Batting:
2B: Marsh, Tanner 1 ; Dye, Macaddin 1 ; Hudson, Todd 1
HR: Dye, Macaddin 1 ; McClellin, Brian 2 ; Horton, Brayden 1
RBI: Marsh, Tanner 1 ; Sweatt, Aidan 1 ; Dye, Macaddin 3 ; Hudson, Todd 1 ; McClellin, Brian 2 ; Horton, Brayden 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Marsh, Tanner 1 ; Sweatt, Aidan 1 ; Dye, Macaddin 2 ; McClellin, Brian 2 ; Horton, Brayden 3
HBP: Kepley, Kane 1 ; Horton, Brayden 1
PO: Horton, Brayden 1
Batting:
2B: Damone Hale 1
HR: Keith Jones II 1
RBI: Keith Jones II 1 ; Damone Hale 1
SH: Damone Hale 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Romeo Ballesteros 1 ; Keith Jones II 1 ; Mitch Namie 1
SB: Romeo Ballesteros 1 ; Mitch Namie 1
HBP: Romeo Ballesteros 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
2
H
4
RBI
3
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
2
R
3
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP/INF
/ BaseballC
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballINF
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