Liberty to Host FIU for CUSA Series
5/2/2024 4:19:00 PM | Baseball
Series Coverage
The Liberty Flames will face the FIU Panthers in a CUSA series this weekend at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium.
Quick Hits
- FIU at Liberty (Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium)
- First pitch: Friday at 4:30Â p.m. (Doubleheader)/Saturday at 4 p.m.
- TV:Â ESPN+
- Radio:Â LFSN Radio
The Liberty Flames will face the FIU Panthers in a CUSA series this weekend at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium.
Quick Hits
•  Liberty opened a five-game homestand with a 14-9 victory over the Campbell Fighting Camels on Wednesday at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadi-um. The win moved the Flames to 13-10 at home this season.
• The series was originally scheduled for single games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. However, due to rain in the forecast, the FIU and Liberty will instead play a doubleheader on Friday and a single game on Sunday.
• FIU and Liberty last met on the diamond in 1997. They have never met in Lynchburg and have never met as conference foes.
• Liberty starts the weekend with a 19-25 overall record and is fourth in CUSA with a 9-6 mark. FIU has a 23-20 overall mark and is fifth in CUSA with a 10-8 record.
• Head Coach Scott Jackson is in his eighth season at Liberty.  Jackson has led the Flames to a 241-172 (.584) record and three NCAA Regional appearances, the most of any coach in program history.
How about Horton?
• Slowed due to injury to start the year, Brayden Horton has boosted the Liberty offense since taking over in left field on March 22 at Middle Tennessee.
• Horton has hit .353 with 30 hits, nine home runs, 28 RBI and 22 runs scored in the 24 games since. In addition, the sophomore has posted a .810 slugging percentage and a .462 on base percentage.Â
• The outfielder enters the weekend having reached base in 22 straight games, the most by a Flame this season, and at one point, he had at least one hit in 11 consecutive games, also the longest by a Flame in 2024.
• Horton enters the week with a .302 batting average and leads Liberty with 10 home runs and a .621 slugging percentage on the year. He has driven in 34 runs and scored 27.
• Not appearing in the CUSA leaders until April, he has rocketed into the CUSA top 10 in several categories. Horton is currently ninth in overall slugging percentage and eighth in OPS (1.031).  In CUSA games only, he is second in slugging percentage (.827), second in OPS (1.289),  tied fifth in runs scored (17), tied second in RBI (21) and second in home runs (8).
• The series was originally scheduled for single games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. However, due to rain in the forecast, the FIU and Liberty will instead play a doubleheader on Friday and a single game on Sunday.
• FIU and Liberty last met on the diamond in 1997. They have never met in Lynchburg and have never met as conference foes.
• Liberty starts the weekend with a 19-25 overall record and is fourth in CUSA with a 9-6 mark. FIU has a 23-20 overall mark and is fifth in CUSA with a 10-8 record.
• Head Coach Scott Jackson is in his eighth season at Liberty.  Jackson has led the Flames to a 241-172 (.584) record and three NCAA Regional appearances, the most of any coach in program history.
How about Horton?
• Slowed due to injury to start the year, Brayden Horton has boosted the Liberty offense since taking over in left field on March 22 at Middle Tennessee.
• Horton has hit .353 with 30 hits, nine home runs, 28 RBI and 22 runs scored in the 24 games since. In addition, the sophomore has posted a .810 slugging percentage and a .462 on base percentage.Â
• The outfielder enters the weekend having reached base in 22 straight games, the most by a Flame this season, and at one point, he had at least one hit in 11 consecutive games, also the longest by a Flame in 2024.
• Horton enters the week with a .302 batting average and leads Liberty with 10 home runs and a .621 slugging percentage on the year. He has driven in 34 runs and scored 27.
• Not appearing in the CUSA leaders until April, he has rocketed into the CUSA top 10 in several categories. Horton is currently ninth in overall slugging percentage and eighth in OPS (1.031).  In CUSA games only, he is second in slugging percentage (.827), second in OPS (1.289),  tied fifth in runs scored (17), tied second in RBI (21) and second in home runs (8).
Players Mentioned
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