Home sweet home
Flames take down Wildcats in 2017 home debut
RELIEVER — Junior Vinnie Tarantola only allowed two hits and one walk on nine at-bats, getting his first win of the season.
Photo Credit: Caroline Sellers
Strong bullpen play propelled the Liberty Flames baseball team (4-3) to a 5-4 victory over the visiting Kentucky Wildcats (2-5) in the first home game of the season at the Liberty Baseball Stadium Wednesday, Feb. 22.
After Flames starter Evan Mitchell gave up two runs on five hits in two and two-thirds innings of work, first-year Flames Head Coach Scott Jackson turned to his bullpen for help, using four relief pitchers on the afternoon to keep the Wildcats off balance.
The Flames only allowed one hit in the final three innings of play.
“Our bullpen is something that’s been a calling card for us,” Jackson said.
“It’s only been four games, but that’s something that’s really boding well for this year.”
The Wildcats wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, driving in a run off Mitchell in the first inning.
Senior left fielder Zach Reks led off the game with a single to right field.
After advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt and stealing third, Reks plated on an RBI single from sophomore designated hitter Kyle Cottam, giving the ‘Cats the early 1-0 lead.
The Flames responded by taking the lead in the bottom of the second inning.
With senior first baseman Sammy Taormina leading off the inning with a base hit to left, senior designated hitter Eric Grabowski blasted a two-run bomb off the scoreboard in left field to give the Flames a 2-1 advantage.
It was Grabowski’s first home run of the season.
In the top of the third, Kentucky senior center fielder Marcus Carson sent a double down the right field line over the reach of the first baseman to score sophomore right fielder Tristan Pompey from second to tie the game 2-2.
Jackson made his first pitching change, bringing in junior lefty Vinnie Tarantola and sending Mitchell to the dugout.
With runners on second and third with two outs, Tarantola was able to strike out junior third baseman Luke Becker to get out of the jam and end the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Flames were in position to add more runs to the scoreboard after a leadoff double from junior catcher Matt Allen.
But after three consecutive strikeouts, Allen and the Flames left the inning empty-handed.
That came back to haunt the Flames as the Wildcats took a 3-2 lead on a leadoff solo home run from junior second baseman Riley Mahan.
In the bottom of the fifth, sophomore center fielder D.J. Artis reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to third on a double from senior left fielder Jay Barbee.
The Wildcats made a pitching change of their own, bringing in right-handed junior Alec Maley.
Starter Zack Thompson gave up two runs on four hits in four and two-thirds innings and 91 pitches.
OUT — Senior Evan Mitchell gave up two runs on five hits.
Photo Credit: Caroline Sellers
“(Thompson) didn’t really have good secondary stuff,” Jackson said.
“It looked to me like he got pretty upset. We had to challenge ourselves and go up there and hit the fastball.”
Maley did not last long on the mound, as senior Will Shepherd sent a line drive to center field, scoring Artis and Barbee and giving the Flames the 4-3 lead.
After an error by the Wildcat center fielder, Shepherd managed to get to
third base.
The Wildcats brought senior Colton Cleary onto the mound, but he could not stop the hot bats of the Flames.
Taormina added to the lead the next at-bat, sending an RBI single into right field and scoring Shepherd from third.
“Anytime you win a game, it’s (an) awesome feeling,” Shepherd said.
“There’s a lot we do behind the scenes that people don’t know (about) that goes into every little part of the game, and that paid off for us tonight. (It was) a really good win.”
Senior Zander Clouse took the mound for the Flames in the top of the sixth inning.
After earning two outs, he surrendered a solo home run to Kentucky’s senior shortstop Connor Heady, cutting the Flames lead to 5-4 halfway through the sixth.
Clouse sat down after one inning, and freshman Garret Price took the mound for the Flames, pitching two innings and only giving up one hit before the Flames brought DeGroat out to get the save.
Three batters later, the Flames had the victory. The Wildcat batters were no match for DeGroat’s 95-mile-an-hour fastball.
“The bullpen was outstanding,” Jackson said.
“We’re going to have to have strike-throwers in the bullpen. I’m okay if we get hit, but we don’t want to give away free passes.”
Jackson and the Flames have their first regular season series against nonconference foe Bryant beginning Friday, March 3 at 3 p.m. with both Saturday and Sunday games at 2 p.m.
Dillard is the sports editor.