Baseball
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- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- baseball@liberty.edu
- Start Date:
- 07/17/2016
After leading the Flames to three consecutive NCAA postseason berths (2019, 2021, 2022) for the first time in school history, Scott Jackson has continued Liberty’s tradition of success on and off the field during his six seasons in Lynchburg. The 2021 ASUN Coach of the Year has seen the Flames set several school records, mentored numerous draft picks and won multiple championships during his tenure.
He owns a career 195-116 record (.627) with three NCAA Regional appearances, the most of any coach in Liberty program history. The Flames have also collected three regional wins during those appearances, downing Tennessee and Duke (2).
The Flames have also made their mark in the classroom, posting cumulative team GPAs of 3.0 or better in each of Jackson's seasons at the helm. The Flames posted a 3.08 cumulative GPA during the 2021-22 academic year and had 27 players post a 3.0 or better.
Liberty has been a constant at the top of many NCAA statistical categories during Jackson’s tenure. Additionally, the Flames have led their conference in several different categories offensively, defensively, and on the mound.
Player development continues to be a hallmark of the Liberty Baseball program as Jackson has seen 11 of his players sign with Major League organizations since arriving in July 2016.
The 2022 season became one for the record books as for the first time in program history, Liberty obtained its third straight selection to an NCAA Regional. For the second consecutive year, the Flames secured an NCAA at-large bid and went on to compete at the NCAA Gainesville, Fla. Regional. Liberty concluded the year with a 37-23 record and finished in first place in the ASUN Conference’s East Division. For the third time in as many seasons in the league, the Flames played for the conference title.
The Flames gained national attention early in the season by winning two of their three-game series at then No. 9 Florida to open the season and later moving to 11-1 with a 1-0 victory over No. 15 North Carolina at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium. For the first time since 2014, the Flames were ranked in the national polls and achieved their highest national ranking in program history when they reached No. 14 in the D1Baseball.com Weekly poll on March 14.
Liberty completed the year among the nation’s top teams in strikeouts in 2022. The Flames finished the year 15th in the country, averaging 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings and eclipsed the program’s single season record with 620 strikeouts. The new mark is the first time in program history that a Liberty pitching staff combined to strike out more than 600 batters in a year, obliterating the previous record of 557 set by Jackson’s 2019 team.
Garrett Horn was named to both the 2022 Collegiate Baseball and NCBWA Freshman All-American teams, after moving into the Friday night starter spot in the Liberty rotation and flourishing. The left-hander posted a 6-1 mark with a 1.93 ERA, the lowest by a freshman and the fifth all-time in program history by a pitcher with 50 more innings pitched in a single season. Horn was one of five Liberty players to be named to ASUN All-Conference teams.
Two of those all-conference selections, Mason Fluharty and Joe Adametz III, were selected in the 2022 MLB Draft. Fluharty, one of the ASUN Conference’s top relief pitchers, became the highest Liberty draft pick since 2004 when he was taken by Toronto in the fifth round. Adametz, an all-conference first team member, was selected in the 14th round by Detroit.
In addition, outfielder Aaron Anderson became the first student-athlete in the history of Liberty athletics to be selected as the CoSIDA Academic All-America Team Member of the Year. The award is given to the top academic student-athlete in NCAA Division I baseball this year.
The 2021 campaign was arguably the most successful in Liberty Baseball history. Liberty secured an NCAA at-large bid for just the second time in the program’s history while Liberty’s 41-16 (.719) record set the school mark for winning percentage in a season at the NCAA Division I level. After its selection to the NCAA Knoxville, Tenn. Regional, Liberty posted two wins over ACC foe Duke and saw its season end in the regional final against host and College World Series participant Tennessee.
Liberty finished the year as the best defensive team in the country, posting a nation’s best .984 fielding percentage to shatter the previous school record of .977 set by Jackson’s 2018 squad. Liberty also completed the year 12th nationally with a 3.57 ERA.
From March 2-26, the Flames won 13 consecutive games, a Liberty NCAA Division I era record. After starting the year with a 2-5 mark, Jackson’s team did not lose consecutive games for the rest of the 2021 campaign.
Friday night starter Trevor DeLaite, an All-American and the first National Pitcher of the Year Finalist in program history, led the Flames mound staff. DeLaite recorded the most wins in school history with a 12-1 record and posted a 2.18 ERA, en route to ASUN Pitcher of the Year honors. In addition, the Chicago White Sox selected reliever Fraser Ellard (8th rd.) and the Houston Astros picked infielder Will Wagner (18th rd.) in the 2021 MLB Draft.
Both Collegiate Baseball and D1 Baseball recognized right-hander Trey Gibson, the ASUN Freshman of the Year, with inclusion on their Freshman All-American first teams. Meanwhile, nine Flames earned ASUN All-Conference recognition. Shortstop Cam Locklear set a school record by playing in 246 career games and grabbed the ASUN Defensive Player of the Year honors to wrap up an incredibly reliable career.
In 2019, Liberty became the first team since 1993 to capture the ASUN title in its first season in the conference and advanced to an NCAA Regional for the first time since 2014. The Flames tied the program record for wins, posting a 43-21 mark while setting new single-season records for strikeouts (557) and saves (19).
Liberty pitchers led the ASUN and ranked 20th nationally with a 3.63 ERA. The Flames led the conference in wins, innings pitched, saves and opponent batting average. Liberty also topped the conference in fielding percentage.
Right-hander Evan Brabrand flourished in his closer role, earning multiple All-American honors. Among the national leaders in saves throughout the year, Brabrand finished 2019 as the ASUN leader and second all-time in program history with 13 saves. Meanwhile, catcher Jonathan Embry was named the ASUN Player of the Year and voted ASUN Tournament MVP. The redshirt junior hit .312 and paced the ASUN with 56 runs scored.
Joining Brabrand and Embry on the ASUN All-Conference team were second baseman Will Wagner, a unanimous selection, and right-hander Andrew McInvale, the ASUN leader in wins with 10. In June, Brabrand, Embry and McInvale were each selected during the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft. Jackson also was named the State Coach of the Year by the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association.
Despite losing three experienced pitchers to injury early in 2018, Jackson guided Liberty to a 32-26 overall mark and a third place finish during its final year in the Big South Conference. After dropping their first game at the 2018 Big South Championship, the Flames won three straight elimination games to force another elimination game with eventual champion Campbell to move on to the title game. Jackson's Flames set new single-season program records for bases on balls (356), fewest errors (48) and fielding percentage (.977).
Following the season, four Flames were named to the all-conference team, with outfielder D.J. Artis and catcher/outfielder Tre Todd receiving first team honors. Artis and Todd, along with pitchers Jack DeGroat and Jackson Bertsch went on to be selected in the 2018 MLB Draft. Artis became the highest Liberty draft pick since 2012 when the Chicago Cubs took the outfielder in the seventh round.
In 2017, Jackson led the Flames to a 33-23 record and a second place finish in the Big South regular season standings in his first season in charge of the program. Following the season, Jackson saw Artis named the 2017 Big South Player of the Year and earn selection to three different All-American teams. In addition, the Oakland A’s drafted pitcher Caleb Evans in the MLB Draft.
During his one season with the Flames in 2008 as their pitching coach, Jackson helped Liberty post a 35-26-1 record and advanced to the Big South's title game. Following the season, two of Jackson's pupils, left-hander Ryan Page and right-hander David Stokes, were selected in the Major League Baseball Draft.
In 2008, Jackson became an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of North Carolina, where he spent eight seasons (2009-16). Jackson worked with the Tar Heels’ offense, as well as hitting, base running and infield play.
During his eight seasons in Chapel Hill, N.C., Jackson helped North Carolina post a 345-156 record, make three College World Series appearances (2009, 2011 and 2013), advance to six straight NCAA Regionals (2009-14) and win the 2013 ACC Championship.
Before the 2013 season, Jackson was recognized by Baseball America as one of the top assistant coaches in the country. His efforts in building the Tar Heel roster and player development helped produce the most successful season in UNC Baseball history. The Tar Heels advanced to the College World Series and were one of the final three teams remaining in Omaha. The 2013 squad finished 59-12 overall and 21-7 in ACC play while recording Carolina's third ACC Championship. However, perhaps the biggest feat of the 2013 Tar Heels was that they never lost back-to-back games at any time during the season.
During the Tar Heels' run to the 2011 College World Series, North Carolina had one of its top-scoring seasons in school history. The Tar Heels finished the year ranked No. 10 in the country with 452 runs scored. In 2013, the Tar Heels led the country in hits (759) and runs (542).
After joining the coaching staff at North Carolina in July 2008, Jackson helped the Tar Heels have 44 players selected in the Major League Baseball Draft including coaching and/or recruiting eight first round picks, seven top-5 round picks, and 10 top-10 round picks.
North Carolina's top offensive selection in 2016 was outfielder Tyler Ramirez, who was a seventh-round selection by the Oakland Athletics. He finished the 2016 season hitting .333, with 11 doubles, eight home runs, 47 RBI and a .540 slugging percentage.
Jackson worked with freshman All-America second baseman Levi Michael who was the 30th overall selection in the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft by the Minnesota Twins.
Third baseman Colin Moran came to North Carolina as an unheralded recruit but developed into one of the top hitters in the country as he earned All-America honors and was named the Baseball America Freshman of the Year in 2011. As a junior, Moran was a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, led the nation with 91 RBIs and was the No. 6 overall pick of the Miami Marlins in the 2013 MLB Draft.
Jackson helped coach three-time All-American Dustin Ackley, the ACC Player of the Year, and also mentored all-conference selection, Kyle Seager. The Seattle Mariners selected both Ackley and Seager in the top three rounds of the 2009 MLB Draft. Seager went on to become an American League All-Star and UNC's first Gold Glove winner in 2014.
Jackson's efforts on the recruiting trail paid off for the Tar Heels, as the program consistently signed classes that ranked among the nation's best. The 2010 group of newcomers ranked No. 7 nationally, the 2011 class was ranked No. 6, the 2012 crop was ranked No. 4, the 2013 edition was ranked No. 5, the incoming class of 2014 was ranked No. 1 and the 2015 edition was ranked No. 5. The 2016 UNC class ranked No. 1 in the country – Jackson’s last recruiting class before arriving in Lynchburg.
Prior to his single season as Liberty’s pitching coach, Jackson served five seasons on staff at UNC Wilmington as pitching coach (2003-07). The Seahawks posted three consecutive 40-win seasons and captured the Colonial Athletic Association titles in 2004 and 2006. Having never been to a regional in school history, UNC Wilmington also advanced to NCAA Regional play in 2003 (Baton Rouge), 2004 (Kinston) and 2006 (Chapel Hill).
Under Jackson's tutelage, six Seahawk pitchers were selected in the MLB Draft after going undrafted out of high school including Brad Holt who was a first round pick in 2008 (33rd overall) by the New York Mets. His pitching staffs established several school records at Wilmington, including strikeouts and saves.
Jackson also had coaching stints at Campbell (2002), Barton (2001) and Wofford (2000). In addition to his collegiate work, Jackson also spent two seasons with the Wilmington Sharks of the Coastal Plain League, where he was an assistant in 2000 and head coach in 2002. He led the Sharks to a league-best 31-17 mark in 2002 as head coach and coached five MLB draft picks.
Jackson is a 1998 graduate of Campbell with a bachelor's degree in physical education and he earned a master's degree in education in 2000, also from Campbell. During his playing days with the Camels, he played seven different positions and posted a career .268 batting average in 182 games.
A native of Charlotte, N.C., Jackson is married to the former Sara Moore, who was a standout basketball player at Campbell. The couple has two sons, Ryan (16) and Tyler (13).
