Friday, February 27
Lynchburg, Va.
4:00 PM ET
Liberty University
5-3
7
vs
2
Hofstra
0-4
1
2
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4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Hofstra
1
0
1
0
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0
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Liberty
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2
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X
7
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0
Blair Strikes Out a Career-High in Liberty’s 7-2 Win Over Hofstra
2/27/2026 9:00:00 PM | Baseball
LYNCHBURG, VA. – Right-hander Ben Blair struck out a career-high 12 in seven innings of work, highlighting the Liberty Flames' 7-2 victory over Hofstra Friday afternoon at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium.
Blair, who ran his record to 2-1 on the year, allowed two runs on two hits over seven innings. He walked two in the contest.
With 12 strikeouts in the game, Blair tops his previous single-game high of 11, which he did twice in 2025.
Liberty designated hitter Riley DeCandido went 3-for-4 with two RBI doubles in the game. He also scored a run.
With their third consecutive win, the Flames move to 5-3 on the season. Hofstra drops to 0-4.
Box Score Highlights
Records: Hofstra (0-4); Liberty (5-3)
Location: Lynchburg, Va. (Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium)
WP: Ben Blair (2-1) | LP: Sean Hamilton (0-2) | SV: Josh Swink (1)
Scoring Summary
1st – HOF – Griggs doubles, Brown scores, 1-0
3rd – HOF – Cox doubles, DeVito scores, 2-0
3rd – LIBERTY – Sorenson flies out, Marsh, 2-1
3rd – LIBERTY – Barone advances to second, DeCandido scores on a throwing error, 2-2
4th – LIBERTY – Marsh doubles, Campos scores, 3-2
4th – LIBERTY – DeCandido doubles, Marsh scores, 4-2
5th – LIBERTY – Swofford flies out, Sorenson scores, 5-2
8th – LIBERTY – Campos reaches on dropped fly ball, Drum scores, 6-2
8th – LIBERTY – DeCandido doubles, Campos scores, 7-2
Notable Numbers
- Liberty outhit Hofstra, 6-3. The Pride committed three errors in the game. The Flames did not make an error.
- Liberty left 10 men on base. Hofstra left six on base.
- The Flames took advantage of seven walks and five hit by pitch by Pride pitching in the game.
- Josh Swink did not allow a run over the final two innings to record his first save of the season. Swink gave up one hit, striking out five and walking three.
- The left-hander and Blair combined to strike out 17.
- Hofstra starting pitcher Sean Hamilton takes the loss. He gave up four runs on three hits over 3 2/3 innings. He struck out two and walked three.
- No Pride hitter had more than one hit in the game.
Beyond the Box Score
- Liberty and Hofstra are meeting for the second time in three years at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium. The two met in 2024, with the Pride taking two of the three games.
- Blair reached double-digits in strikeouts for the first time in 2026. The right-hander accomplished the feat three times in 2025.
- DeCandido ties a career-high with three hits in the game. It is the first multi-hit game for the junior this season. The designated hitter had three hits in a contest twice last year.
- Shortstop Tanner Marsh had an RBI double in the fourth inning. The junior has a hit in each of his last four games and has reached base safely in every game.
Up Next
Liberty and Hofstra will meet in the middle game of their three-game series tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Blair, who ran his record to 2-1 on the year, allowed two runs on two hits over seven innings. He walked two in the contest.
With 12 strikeouts in the game, Blair tops his previous single-game high of 11, which he did twice in 2025.
Liberty designated hitter Riley DeCandido went 3-for-4 with two RBI doubles in the game. He also scored a run.
With their third consecutive win, the Flames move to 5-3 on the season. Hofstra drops to 0-4.
Box Score Highlights
Records: Hofstra (0-4); Liberty (5-3)
Location: Lynchburg, Va. (Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium)
WP: Ben Blair (2-1) | LP: Sean Hamilton (0-2) | SV: Josh Swink (1)
Scoring Summary
1st – HOF – Griggs doubles, Brown scores, 1-0
3rd – HOF – Cox doubles, DeVito scores, 2-0
3rd – LIBERTY – Sorenson flies out, Marsh, 2-1
3rd – LIBERTY – Barone advances to second, DeCandido scores on a throwing error, 2-2
4th – LIBERTY – Marsh doubles, Campos scores, 3-2
4th – LIBERTY – DeCandido doubles, Marsh scores, 4-2
5th – LIBERTY – Swofford flies out, Sorenson scores, 5-2
8th – LIBERTY – Campos reaches on dropped fly ball, Drum scores, 6-2
8th – LIBERTY – DeCandido doubles, Campos scores, 7-2
Notable Numbers
- Liberty outhit Hofstra, 6-3. The Pride committed three errors in the game. The Flames did not make an error.
- Liberty left 10 men on base. Hofstra left six on base.
- The Flames took advantage of seven walks and five hit by pitch by Pride pitching in the game.
- Josh Swink did not allow a run over the final two innings to record his first save of the season. Swink gave up one hit, striking out five and walking three.
- The left-hander and Blair combined to strike out 17.
- Hofstra starting pitcher Sean Hamilton takes the loss. He gave up four runs on three hits over 3 2/3 innings. He struck out two and walked three.
- No Pride hitter had more than one hit in the game.
Beyond the Box Score
- Liberty and Hofstra are meeting for the second time in three years at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium. The two met in 2024, with the Pride taking two of the three games.
- Blair reached double-digits in strikeouts for the first time in 2026. The right-hander accomplished the feat three times in 2025.
- DeCandido ties a career-high with three hits in the game. It is the first multi-hit game for the junior this season. The designated hitter had three hits in a contest twice last year.
- Shortstop Tanner Marsh had an RBI double in the fourth inning. The junior has a hit in each of his last four games and has reached base safely in every game.
Up Next
Liberty and Hofstra will meet in the middle game of their three-game series tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Blair, Ben (2-1)
L: Hamilton (0-2)
S: Swink, Josh (1)
Batting:
2B: Cox 1 ; Griggs 1
RBI: Cox 1 ; Griggs 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Brown 1 ; DeVito 1
SB: Brown 1
Batting:
2B: Marsh, Tanner 1 ; DeCandido, Riley 2
RBI: Marsh, Tanner 1 ; DeCandido, Riley 2 ; Sorenson, Jaxon 1 ; Swofford, Easton 1
SF: Sorenson, Jaxon 1 ; Swofford, Easton 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Marsh, Tanner 2 ; DeCandido, Riley 1 ; Sorenson, Jaxon 1 ; Drumm, Ryan 1 ; Campos, Josh 2
SB: Grabowski, Dylan 2 ; Drumm, Ryan 1
CS: Hvidsten, Kyle 1
HBP: DeCandido, Riley 1 ; Grabowski, Dylan 2 ; Barone, Nick 1 ; Campos, Josh 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
2
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
LHP
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