Tuesday, February 18
Raleigh, N.C.
3:00 PM ET
Liberty University
4-0
9
at
8
NC State
3-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
LIBERTY
1
0
4
0
0
0
0
0
4
9
10
3
NC State
0
1
0
4
1
0
0
2
0
8
12
3
Liberty Scores 4 in 9th to Shock No. 12 NC State 9-8
2/18/2025 8:49:00 PM | Baseball
RALEIGH, N.C. – Trailing by three runs, the Liberty Flames struck for four runs to take the lead and go on to down the No. 12 North Carolina State Wolfpack 9-8, Tuesday afternoon at Doan Field at Dail Park.
After an NC State error and a ground out allowed the Flames to move to within a run with two outs, center fielder Michael Robertson ripped the first pitch of his at bat into the right-center field gap, plating two runs to give Liberty a 9-8 lead.
In the ninth, reliever Garrett McLaughlin worked around a two-out walk to close out the Flames' win.
Liberty built an early 5-1 advantage, scoring four runs in the third inning. However, NC State rallied in the fourth inning with four runs of its own and took a 6-5 edge in the fifth inning on a home run by right fielder Brayden Fransman.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Wolfpack added two runs to extend its lead to 8-5.
Liberty first baseman Riley DeCandido led all hitters in the game with three hits and scored twice. Flames third baseman Jaxson Sorenson had two hits, walked twice and scored a run.
Liberty remains unbeaten with a 4-0 record. NC State drops to 3-1.
Box Score Highlights
Records: Liberty (4-0); NC State (3-1)
Location: Raleigh, N.C. (Doan Field at Dail Park)
WP: Garrett McLaughlin (1-0) | LP: Jacob Dudan (0-1)
Scoring Summary
1st – LIBERTY – Sorenson doubles, DeCandido scores, 1-0
2nd – NC STATE – Jaros grounds into a fielder's choice, Houge scores, 1-1
3rd – LIBERTY – Marsh doubles, DeCandido scores, 2-1
3rd – LIBERTY – Barone singles, Marsh scores, 3-1
3rd – LIBERTY – Troyer singles, Sorenson scores, 4-1
3rd – LIBERTY – Swofford singles, Barone scores, 5-1
4th – NC STATE – Nixon singles, Head and Ossenfort scores, 5-3
4th – NC STATE – McHugh doubles, Nixon and Jaros score, 5-5
5th – NC STATE – Fraasman homers, 6-5
8th – NC STATE – McHugh singles, DeCriscio and Nixon score, 8-5
9th – LIBERTY – Troyer reaches on an error by the shortstop, Marsh scores, 8-6
9th – LIBERTY – Scilley grounded out Barone scores, 8-7
9th – LIBERTY – Robertson doubles, Swofford and Troyer score, 9-8
Notable Numbers
- NC State edge Liberty in hits, 12-10. Each team made three errors apiece.
- The Flames and the Wolfpack each left 10 men on base.
- Besides DeCandido, shortstop Tanner Marsh and left fielder Nick Barone scored two runs apiece.
- McLaughlin, the fifth Liberty pitcher of the contest, records his first win of 2025. The right-hander gave up two runs, one earned, on two hits over two innings. He struck out three and walked one.
- Liberty reliever Tyler August pitched a scoreless sixth and seventh innings.
- NC State reliever Jacob Dudan takes the loss. He allowed four runs, none earned, on one hit, in the ninth, his only inning. The right-hander struck out one and walked three.
- Fraasman hit his third home run of the season for the Wolfpack and had two hits in the contest.
- Five NC State hitters had two hits each in the game, led by first baseman Chris McHugh who drove in a game-high three runs.
Beyond the Box Score
- Liberty and NC State met today for the first time since 2009. That meeting was also at Doak Field.
- NC State is the first nationally ranked team Liberty has beaten since defeating No. 20 FGCU 9-7 in Fort Myers, Fla., on March 17, 2023.
- For the first time this season, Liberty trailed in a game and committed an error in a game.
- DeCandido and Sorenson each record their first multi-hit game of the season. DeCandido also became the first Flame to have three hits in a game this year.
- Shortstop Tanner Marsh scored two runs and now leads the Flames with seven runs scored.
Up Next
Liberty returns home for a three-game series this weekend. The Flames will host the Xavier Musketeers beginning Friday at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium. The first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
After an NC State error and a ground out allowed the Flames to move to within a run with two outs, center fielder Michael Robertson ripped the first pitch of his at bat into the right-center field gap, plating two runs to give Liberty a 9-8 lead.
In the ninth, reliever Garrett McLaughlin worked around a two-out walk to close out the Flames' win.
Liberty built an early 5-1 advantage, scoring four runs in the third inning. However, NC State rallied in the fourth inning with four runs of its own and took a 6-5 edge in the fifth inning on a home run by right fielder Brayden Fransman.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Wolfpack added two runs to extend its lead to 8-5.
Liberty first baseman Riley DeCandido led all hitters in the game with three hits and scored twice. Flames third baseman Jaxson Sorenson had two hits, walked twice and scored a run.
Liberty remains unbeaten with a 4-0 record. NC State drops to 3-1.
Box Score Highlights
Records: Liberty (4-0); NC State (3-1)
Location: Raleigh, N.C. (Doan Field at Dail Park)
WP: Garrett McLaughlin (1-0) | LP: Jacob Dudan (0-1)
Scoring Summary
1st – LIBERTY – Sorenson doubles, DeCandido scores, 1-0
2nd – NC STATE – Jaros grounds into a fielder's choice, Houge scores, 1-1
3rd – LIBERTY – Marsh doubles, DeCandido scores, 2-1
3rd – LIBERTY – Barone singles, Marsh scores, 3-1
3rd – LIBERTY – Troyer singles, Sorenson scores, 4-1
3rd – LIBERTY – Swofford singles, Barone scores, 5-1
4th – NC STATE – Nixon singles, Head and Ossenfort scores, 5-3
4th – NC STATE – McHugh doubles, Nixon and Jaros score, 5-5
5th – NC STATE – Fraasman homers, 6-5
8th – NC STATE – McHugh singles, DeCriscio and Nixon score, 8-5
9th – LIBERTY – Troyer reaches on an error by the shortstop, Marsh scores, 8-6
9th – LIBERTY – Scilley grounded out Barone scores, 8-7
9th – LIBERTY – Robertson doubles, Swofford and Troyer score, 9-8
Notable Numbers
- NC State edge Liberty in hits, 12-10. Each team made three errors apiece.
- The Flames and the Wolfpack each left 10 men on base.
- Besides DeCandido, shortstop Tanner Marsh and left fielder Nick Barone scored two runs apiece.
- McLaughlin, the fifth Liberty pitcher of the contest, records his first win of 2025. The right-hander gave up two runs, one earned, on two hits over two innings. He struck out three and walked one.
- Liberty reliever Tyler August pitched a scoreless sixth and seventh innings.
- NC State reliever Jacob Dudan takes the loss. He allowed four runs, none earned, on one hit, in the ninth, his only inning. The right-hander struck out one and walked three.
- Fraasman hit his third home run of the season for the Wolfpack and had two hits in the contest.
- Five NC State hitters had two hits each in the game, led by first baseman Chris McHugh who drove in a game-high three runs.
Beyond the Box Score
- Liberty and NC State met today for the first time since 2009. That meeting was also at Doak Field.
- NC State is the first nationally ranked team Liberty has beaten since defeating No. 20 FGCU 9-7 in Fort Myers, Fla., on March 17, 2023.
- For the first time this season, Liberty trailed in a game and committed an error in a game.
- DeCandido and Sorenson each record their first multi-hit game of the season. DeCandido also became the first Flame to have three hits in a game this year.
- Shortstop Tanner Marsh scored two runs and now leads the Flames with seven runs scored.
Up Next
Liberty returns home for a three-game series this weekend. The Flames will host the Xavier Musketeers beginning Friday at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium. The first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Michael Robertson stuns the Wolfpack with a 2-run, 2-out double to give Liberty the lead! pic.twitter.com/HahKfWfeMf
— Liberty Baseball (@LibertyBaseball) February 18, 2025
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: McLaughlin, Garrett (1-0)
L: Dudan (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Marsh, Tanner 1 ; Sorenson, Jaxon 1 ; Robertson, Michael 1
RBI: Marsh, Tanner 1 ; Sorenson, Jaxon 1 ; Barone, Nick 1 ; Troyer, Camden 1 ; Scilley, Landon 1 ; Swofford, Easton 1 ; Robertson, Michael 2
Base Running:
RUNS: DeCandido, Riley 2 ; Marsh, Tanner 2 ; Sorenson, Jaxon 1 ; Barone, Nick 2 ; Troyer, Camden 1 ; Swofford, Easton 1
SB: Robertson, Michael 1
HBP: Simmons, John 1
Batting:
2B: McHugh 1 ; Hogue 1 ; Fraasman 1
HR: Fraasman 1
RBI: Nixon 2 ; McHugh 3 ; Fraasman 1 ; Jaros 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nixon 2 ; DeCriscio 1 ; Hogue 1 ; Fraasman 1 ; Ossenfort 1 ; Head 1 ; Jaros 1
SB: DeCriscio 1
HBP: DeCriscio 1 ; Ossenfort 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
6
R
2
H
3
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP
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RHP
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OF
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