Friday, May 24
Ruston, LA
1:30 PM ET/12:30 PM CT
Liberty University
24-32
6
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Louisiana Tech
42-16
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4
5
6
7
8
9
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H
E
Liberty
0
0
1
3
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0
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1
6
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Louisiana Tech
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0
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6
1
Moran Stellar as No. 5 Seed Liberty Downs No. 1 Seed La. Tech 6-2
5/24/2024 7:00:00 PM | Baseball
RUSTON, LA. – Liberty left-hander Nick Moran shutdown Louisiana Tech through seven innings propelling the No. 5 seed Flames past the No. 1 seed Bulldogs 6-2 in Game 8 of the CUSA Baseball Championship at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park. With the victory, Liberty moves into the semifinals tomorrow.
Moran limited the tournament host Bulldogs to four hits over the first seven innings en route to the longest outing of his career, 7 1/3 innings. The junior left-hander finished the game allowing two runs on six hits. He struck out six and walked two batters. Moran retired eight batters in a row until giving up a single with one out in the seventh.
Liberty took the lead in the third on a two-out single by catcher Macaddin Dye and quickly added to it in the fourth on back-to-back home runs by right fielder Camden Troyer, his seventh of the season, and third baseman Cam Foster, his ninth of the season, for a 4-0 advantage. Troyer was the only Flame with two hits in the game.
After Liberty upped its lead to 5-0 in the top of the inning, Louisiana Tech cut the Flames edge to 5-2 after eight innings. Designated hitter Todd Hudson gave the Flames an insurance run with his 11th home run in the ninth.
With the victory, Liberty (24-32) advances to the semifinals to play the winner of tonight's Sam Houston/Louisiana Tech elimination game. First pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. EST/12:30 p.m. CST.
Box Score Highlights
Records: Liberty (24-32); Louisiana Tech (42-16)
Location: J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park
WP: Nick Moran (4-3 | LP: Luke Nichols (4-3) | SV: Ben Blair (3)
Scoring Summary
3rd – LIBERTY – Dye singles, Kepley scores, 1-0
4th – LIBERTY – Troyer homers, Rabon scores, 3-0
4th – LIBERTY – Foster homers, 4-0
8th – LIBERTY – Marsh doubles, Keeter scores, 5-0
8th – LATECH – Corona homers, Bates scores, 5-2
9th – LIBERTY – Hudson homers, 6-2
Notable Numbers
- Liberty held an 8-6 edge over Louisiana Tech in hits. Each team made an error.
- The Flames left nine men on base. The Bulldogs left seven.
- Reliever Ben Blair earned a save coming on for Moran and retiring all five batters he faced over the final 1 2/3 innings. He struck out three and did not walk a batter.
- Louisiana Tech starting pitcher Luke Nichols takes the loss. He gave up four runs on five hits over the first five innings. He struck out eight and walked two.
- Catcher Jorge Corona belted a two-run home run and had two hits for the Bulldogs.
Beyond the Box Score
- With the victory, Liberty moves into the semifinals. The Flames will play the winner of No. 4 seed Sam Houston/No. 1 seed Louisiana Tech tomorrow. Liberty will need to win once to advance to Sunday's final. Their opponents will need to win twice.
- Moran eclipsed his previous career-high of seven innings pitched in a 9-3 win over Sam Houston on March 30 of this year at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium.
- Troyer has hit three home runs and has nine RBI in Liberty's first games of the CUSA Baseball Championship. The right fielder had three hits with two home runs and seven RBI in Liberty's 9-3 win over Sam Houston yesterday.
- Hudson belted his sixth home run in the last nine games in the contest. The designated hitter is now tied for the team lead in home runs with Brayden Horton with 11.
- Horton did not reach base in the contest, ending his team-leading reached base streak at 33 consecutive games.
Up Next
Liberty will play the winner of No. 4 seed Sam Houston and No. 1 seed Louisiana Tech in a semifinal game tomorrow afternoon at J.C. Love Field at Patterson Park. Game time is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. CT.
Moran limited the tournament host Bulldogs to four hits over the first seven innings en route to the longest outing of his career, 7 1/3 innings. The junior left-hander finished the game allowing two runs on six hits. He struck out six and walked two batters. Moran retired eight batters in a row until giving up a single with one out in the seventh.
Liberty took the lead in the third on a two-out single by catcher Macaddin Dye and quickly added to it in the fourth on back-to-back home runs by right fielder Camden Troyer, his seventh of the season, and third baseman Cam Foster, his ninth of the season, for a 4-0 advantage. Troyer was the only Flame with two hits in the game.
After Liberty upped its lead to 5-0 in the top of the inning, Louisiana Tech cut the Flames edge to 5-2 after eight innings. Designated hitter Todd Hudson gave the Flames an insurance run with his 11th home run in the ninth.
With the victory, Liberty (24-32) advances to the semifinals to play the winner of tonight's Sam Houston/Louisiana Tech elimination game. First pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. EST/12:30 p.m. CST.
Box Score Highlights
Records: Liberty (24-32); Louisiana Tech (42-16)
Location: J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park
WP: Nick Moran (4-3 | LP: Luke Nichols (4-3) | SV: Ben Blair (3)
Scoring Summary
3rd – LIBERTY – Dye singles, Kepley scores, 1-0
4th – LIBERTY – Troyer homers, Rabon scores, 3-0
4th – LIBERTY – Foster homers, 4-0
8th – LIBERTY – Marsh doubles, Keeter scores, 5-0
8th – LATECH – Corona homers, Bates scores, 5-2
9th – LIBERTY – Hudson homers, 6-2
Notable Numbers
- Liberty held an 8-6 edge over Louisiana Tech in hits. Each team made an error.
- The Flames left nine men on base. The Bulldogs left seven.
- Reliever Ben Blair earned a save coming on for Moran and retiring all five batters he faced over the final 1 2/3 innings. He struck out three and did not walk a batter.
- Louisiana Tech starting pitcher Luke Nichols takes the loss. He gave up four runs on five hits over the first five innings. He struck out eight and walked two.
- Catcher Jorge Corona belted a two-run home run and had two hits for the Bulldogs.
Beyond the Box Score
- With the victory, Liberty moves into the semifinals. The Flames will play the winner of No. 4 seed Sam Houston/No. 1 seed Louisiana Tech tomorrow. Liberty will need to win once to advance to Sunday's final. Their opponents will need to win twice.
- Moran eclipsed his previous career-high of seven innings pitched in a 9-3 win over Sam Houston on March 30 of this year at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium.
- Troyer has hit three home runs and has nine RBI in Liberty's first games of the CUSA Baseball Championship. The right fielder had three hits with two home runs and seven RBI in Liberty's 9-3 win over Sam Houston yesterday.
- Hudson belted his sixth home run in the last nine games in the contest. The designated hitter is now tied for the team lead in home runs with Brayden Horton with 11.
- Horton did not reach base in the contest, ending his team-leading reached base streak at 33 consecutive games.
Up Next
Liberty will play the winner of No. 4 seed Sam Houston and No. 1 seed Louisiana Tech in a semifinal game tomorrow afternoon at J.C. Love Field at Patterson Park. Game time is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. CT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Moran, Nick (4-3)
L: Nichols,L (4-3)
S: Blair, Ben (3)
Batting:
2B: Marsh, Tanner 1
HR: Hudson, Todd 1 ; Troyer, Camden 1 ; Foster, Cam 1
RBI: Dye, Macaddin 1 ; Hudson, Todd 1 ; Troyer, Camden 2 ; Foster, Cam 1 ; Marsh, Tanner 1
SH: Horton, Brayden 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kepley, Kane 1 ; Hudson, Todd 1 ; Rabon, Noah 1 ; Troyer, Camden 1 ; Foster, Cam 1 ; Keeter, Nathan 1
SB: Kepley, Kane 1
HBP: Rabon, Noah 1
Batting:
2B: McConnell,C 1
HR: Corona,J 1
RBI: Corona,J 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Bates,E 1 ; Corona,J 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
5
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
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