Saturday, May 3
Huntsville, Texas
1:00 PM ET/12:00 PM CT
Liberty University
26-20, 7-12
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Sam Houston
10-36, 4-15
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Liberty
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Sam Houston
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Sam Houston Sweeps Twin Bill from Liberty
5/3/2025 8:56:00 PM | Baseball
HUNTSVILLE, TEXAS – The Sam Houston Bearkats defeated the Liberty Flames in both games of a CUSA doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Don Sanders Stadium. The Bearkats slipped past the Flames 8-7 in game one, while downing Liberty 7-1 in game two.
In game one, Sam Houston scored five runs in the second inning, four on a grand slam by second baseman Blake Brown, and built a 6-1 lead after five innings.
Liberty then rallied to tie the game at 6-6 with a run in the sixth and four in the seventh inning. Flames left fielder Nick Barone tied the game with a two-run, two-out triple in the seventh.
However, right fielder Brady Christensen hit his ninth home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Bearkats a 7-6 lead and tacked on an insurance run in the eighth inning for an 8-6 advantage.
In the ninth inning, second baseman Landon Scilley homered to cut Liberty's deficit to one. With one out, the Flames moved the tying run into scoring position at second base, but Bearkat reliever Devin Bennett retired the next two Flames to close out the victory.
Shortstop Tanner Marsh had a game-high three hits, an RBI and a run scored, while Barone had a double, a triple and two RBI for Liberty in game one. Scilley had two hits, including his fourth home run of the season in the game.
In game two, Sam Houston never trailed in the contest. The Bearkats grabbed the lead in the second inning, scoring three runs. That was all starting pitcher Ryan Peterson needed. The Bearkats' right-hander scattered three hits over seven scoreless innings in the victory.
Liberty drops to 7-13 in CUSA and 26-21 overall. Sam Houston moves to 5-15 in conference and 11-36 overall.
Box Score Highlights
Records: Liberty (26-21; 7-13 CUSA); Sam Houston (11-36, 5-15 USA)
Location: Huntsville, Texas (Don Sanders Stadium)
Game 1: WP: Devin Bennett (1-4) | LP: Jack Frankel (4-3)
Game 2: WP: Ryan Peterson (2-8) | LP: Ben Blair (5-3)
Game 1 Scoring Summary
1st – LIBERTY – Troyer flies out, Marsh scores, 1-0
2nd – SHSU – Nottlemann singles, Franden scores, 1-1
2nd – SHSU – Brown homers, Christensen, Nottlemann and Dean score, 5-1
5th – SHSU – Brown scores on a wild pitch, 6-1
6th – LIBERTY – Troyer scores on a passed ball, 6-2
7th – LIBERTY – Robertson singles, Swofford scores, 6-3
7th – LIBERTY – Marsh singles, Robertson scores, 6-4
7th – LIBERTY – Barone triples, Marsh and Scilly score, 6-6
7th – SHSU – Christensen homers, 7-6
8th – SHSU – Nottlemann singles, Lee scores, 8-6
9th – SHSU – Scilley homers, 8-7
Game 2 Scoring Summary
2nd – SHSU – Marthiljohni doubles, Franden scores, 1-0
2nd – SHSU – Christensen doubles, Nottlemann and Marthiljohni score, 3-0
5th – SHSU – Lee singles, Autrey and Christensen score, 5-0
7th – SHSU – Martinez singles, Brown scores, 6-0
7th – SHSU – Lee flies out, Autrey scores, 7-0
9th – LIBERTY – Lane singles, Sorenson scores, 7-1
Notable Numbers
- In game one, Liberty outhit Sam Houston, 11-9. The Bearkats held an 11-6 advantage in hits over the Flames in game two.
- The Bearkats committed two errors in game one, the game's only miscues. They also made the only error in game two.
- Liberty left six men on base in game one and eight in game two. Sam Houston left five men on base in game one and eight in game two.
- Six of Sam Houston's eight runs came with two outs in game one, and five of the Bearkats' seven runs came with two outs in game two.
- The Flames struck out only three times in game one.
- No Liberty hitter had more than one hit in game two.
- Liberty reliever Jack Frankel, the second pitcher for the Flames in game one, takes the loss. He allowed two runs on three hits over three innings. He struck out two and walked two.
- Starting pitcher Ben Blair takes the loss in game two for Liberty. He allowed five runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out six and walked two.
- Flames reliever Garrett McLaughlin, the third pitcher in game two, pitched two scoreless innings. He struck out four of the seven batters he faced.
- Bennett records his first win of 2025 in game one. He gave up three runs on five hits over 2 2/3 innings. He struck out one and did not walk a batter.
- Peterson records the victory in game two. He struck out five and walked two.
- Reliever Cole Marthiljohni allowed one run on three hits over the last two innings of game two. He struck out three and did not walk a batter.
- Brown's grand slam was his second home run of the year, while Christensen hit his ninth in the first game.
- Bearkat first baseman Hunter Autrey had three hits and scored two runs in game two.
Beyond the Box Score
- Sam Houston takes the three-game series with its two wins today.
- After its game one loss, Liberty is 5-7 overall and 3-6 in CUSA games in one-run contests this season.
- With three hits in game one, Marsh has now recorded a team-leading five three-hit and 18 multi-hit games. The Liberty shortstop had two stolen bases in game one and leads the Flames and is ninth in CUSA with 16.
- Scilley had a hit in each game of the doubleheader and has reached base safely in 11 consecutive games, a season-high for the freshman.
- With two RBI in game one, Barone takes over the Liberty lead and moves into fifth in CUSA with 45 RBI on the year.
- Blair continues to lead CUSA in innings pitched. The sophomore right-hander has pitched 66 1/3 innings this season. He is second to teammate Dylan Mathiesen in strikeouts in the conference with 76.
Up Next
Liberty and Sam Houston will finish their Conference USA series at Don Sanders Stadium tomorrow. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m. EST/12 p.m. CST.
In game one, Sam Houston scored five runs in the second inning, four on a grand slam by second baseman Blake Brown, and built a 6-1 lead after five innings.
Liberty then rallied to tie the game at 6-6 with a run in the sixth and four in the seventh inning. Flames left fielder Nick Barone tied the game with a two-run, two-out triple in the seventh.
However, right fielder Brady Christensen hit his ninth home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Bearkats a 7-6 lead and tacked on an insurance run in the eighth inning for an 8-6 advantage.
In the ninth inning, second baseman Landon Scilley homered to cut Liberty's deficit to one. With one out, the Flames moved the tying run into scoring position at second base, but Bearkat reliever Devin Bennett retired the next two Flames to close out the victory.
Shortstop Tanner Marsh had a game-high three hits, an RBI and a run scored, while Barone had a double, a triple and two RBI for Liberty in game one. Scilley had two hits, including his fourth home run of the season in the game.
In game two, Sam Houston never trailed in the contest. The Bearkats grabbed the lead in the second inning, scoring three runs. That was all starting pitcher Ryan Peterson needed. The Bearkats' right-hander scattered three hits over seven scoreless innings in the victory.
Liberty drops to 7-13 in CUSA and 26-21 overall. Sam Houston moves to 5-15 in conference and 11-36 overall.
Box Score Highlights
Records: Liberty (26-21; 7-13 CUSA); Sam Houston (11-36, 5-15 USA)
Location: Huntsville, Texas (Don Sanders Stadium)
Game 1: WP: Devin Bennett (1-4) | LP: Jack Frankel (4-3)
Game 2: WP: Ryan Peterson (2-8) | LP: Ben Blair (5-3)
Game 1 Scoring Summary
1st – LIBERTY – Troyer flies out, Marsh scores, 1-0
2nd – SHSU – Nottlemann singles, Franden scores, 1-1
2nd – SHSU – Brown homers, Christensen, Nottlemann and Dean score, 5-1
5th – SHSU – Brown scores on a wild pitch, 6-1
6th – LIBERTY – Troyer scores on a passed ball, 6-2
7th – LIBERTY – Robertson singles, Swofford scores, 6-3
7th – LIBERTY – Marsh singles, Robertson scores, 6-4
7th – LIBERTY – Barone triples, Marsh and Scilly score, 6-6
7th – SHSU – Christensen homers, 7-6
8th – SHSU – Nottlemann singles, Lee scores, 8-6
9th – SHSU – Scilley homers, 8-7
Game 2 Scoring Summary
2nd – SHSU – Marthiljohni doubles, Franden scores, 1-0
2nd – SHSU – Christensen doubles, Nottlemann and Marthiljohni score, 3-0
5th – SHSU – Lee singles, Autrey and Christensen score, 5-0
7th – SHSU – Martinez singles, Brown scores, 6-0
7th – SHSU – Lee flies out, Autrey scores, 7-0
9th – LIBERTY – Lane singles, Sorenson scores, 7-1
Notable Numbers
- In game one, Liberty outhit Sam Houston, 11-9. The Bearkats held an 11-6 advantage in hits over the Flames in game two.
- The Bearkats committed two errors in game one, the game's only miscues. They also made the only error in game two.
- Liberty left six men on base in game one and eight in game two. Sam Houston left five men on base in game one and eight in game two.
- Six of Sam Houston's eight runs came with two outs in game one, and five of the Bearkats' seven runs came with two outs in game two.
- The Flames struck out only three times in game one.
- No Liberty hitter had more than one hit in game two.
- Liberty reliever Jack Frankel, the second pitcher for the Flames in game one, takes the loss. He allowed two runs on three hits over three innings. He struck out two and walked two.
- Starting pitcher Ben Blair takes the loss in game two for Liberty. He allowed five runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out six and walked two.
- Flames reliever Garrett McLaughlin, the third pitcher in game two, pitched two scoreless innings. He struck out four of the seven batters he faced.
- Bennett records his first win of 2025 in game one. He gave up three runs on five hits over 2 2/3 innings. He struck out one and did not walk a batter.
- Peterson records the victory in game two. He struck out five and walked two.
- Reliever Cole Marthiljohni allowed one run on three hits over the last two innings of game two. He struck out three and did not walk a batter.
- Brown's grand slam was his second home run of the year, while Christensen hit his ninth in the first game.
- Bearkat first baseman Hunter Autrey had three hits and scored two runs in game two.
Beyond the Box Score
- Sam Houston takes the three-game series with its two wins today.
- After its game one loss, Liberty is 5-7 overall and 3-6 in CUSA games in one-run contests this season.
- With three hits in game one, Marsh has now recorded a team-leading five three-hit and 18 multi-hit games. The Liberty shortstop had two stolen bases in game one and leads the Flames and is ninth in CUSA with 16.
- Scilley had a hit in each game of the doubleheader and has reached base safely in 11 consecutive games, a season-high for the freshman.
- With two RBI in game one, Barone takes over the Liberty lead and moves into fifth in CUSA with 45 RBI on the year.
- Blair continues to lead CUSA in innings pitched. The sophomore right-hander has pitched 66 1/3 innings this season. He is second to teammate Dylan Mathiesen in strikeouts in the conference with 76.
Up Next
Liberty and Sam Houston will finish their Conference USA series at Don Sanders Stadium tomorrow. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m. EST/12 p.m. CST.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Devin Bennett (1-4)
L: Frankel, Jack (4-3)
Batting:
2B: Barone, Nick 1 ; Swofford, Easton 1
3B: Barone, Nick 1
HR: Scilley, Landon 1
RBI: Scilley, Landon 1 ; Marsh, Tanner 1 ; Troyer, Camden 1 ; Barone, Nick 2 ; Robertson, Michael 1
SF: Troyer, Camden 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Scilley, Landon 2 ; Marsh, Tanner 2 ; Troyer, Camden 1 ; Swofford, Easton 1 ; Robertson, Michael 1
SB: Marsh, Tanner 2
Batting:
2B: Jace Martinez 1
HR: Brady Christensen 1 ; Blake Brown 1
RBI: Brady Christensen 1 ; Blake Brown 4 ; Grant Nottlemann 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Brady Christensen 2 ; Blake Brown 2 ; Sam Lee 1 ; Ryan Franden 1 ; Easton Dean 1 ; Grant Nottlemann 1
HBP: Easton Dean 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballRHP/INF
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