Men’s Baseball Opens Season With Win Over VCU

In a game highlighted by an injury to Liberty’s now-number one starter for the season, two home runs, great defensive plays and a stellar bullpen contributed to a Flames 5-4 victory over Virginia Commonwealth University on Opening Day of the baseball season Friday, Feb. 16.

The top of the first inning started with a bang. After pitcher Evan Brabrand got into a jam early on, a diving stop was made by second baseman Will Wagner, then he flipped it to second, and shortstop Tyler Galazin threw it over to first base for the inning-ending double play.

Sophomore catcher and utilityman Jonathan Embry hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first after speedy centerfielder D.J. Artis was walked and stole a base.

“I think Will’s double play in the top of the first gave us a little bit more spark, but definitely I think (my home run) kept the ball rolling from that double play,” Embry said.

Embry said that he wanted to put a spark in the team to get them going. He said it also helped him get rid of all the nerves since he did not get much playing time last year.

“I was excited, being my first one and only my third hit in college,” Embry said. “It was good to get it out of the way and it took a lot of pressure off for the rest of the game, hopefully for our season.”

VCU, though, had an answer right away in the second inning as they capitalized on a walk and hit-by-pitch with an RBI single and a sacrifice bunt. Head coach Scott Jackson said that VCU had great answers to the Flames offense. Every time the Flames would get ahead, it seemed as though VCU’s offense had answers.

After a scoreless inning-and-a-half after the home run, Brabrand went to the ground and grabbed his leg. After trying to get on the mound to attempt to stay in the game, he went down again. Jackson said after the game that he just had cramps and is not expected to miss his next start, but it was enough pain to remove him from the game after three solid innings.

Junior pitcher Zach Clinton came in and threw four scoreless innings in relief.

“I could have told you that’s exactly what Zach Clinton was gonna do, was just throw a bunch of zeroes up there,” Jackson said. “He’s gonna mix some hits in, but you have to beat Zach Clinton, and that’s why we put him in there.”

He said Clinton faced 41 hitters in preseason and did not walk a single batter.

“My main goal honestly was just to go out and throw strikes, cause I know we have an incredible defense behind us, and Will making that diving double play that was my second batter that I faced, that was a huge double play, and that just shows how athletic he is and how good of a defender he is,” Clinton said. “So really, all we gotta focus on is really throwing strikes.”

As soon as Clinton came in, he allowed a hit, but Wagner executed yet another double play. Clinton then struck out the next batter to get out of the inning without allowing a run.

After a scoreless fifth inning, Clinton gave up a one-out double to get into a jam in the sixth inning. He was saved by poor baserunning as Galazin threw out the lead runner with a force out at third, and then Clinton got the team out of the inning without a groundout to second.

In the seventh inning, VCU committed an error and then walked designated hitter Andrew Yacyk, allowing two runners to reach with no outs in the inning. The next batter that came up was Tre Todd, who hit a ball that bounced off the top of the Flame Train in right field, and landed in the parking lot. He chucked his bat for a crowd-whirring bat flip.

“I hit it and my adrenaline just took off,” Todd said regarding the bat flip.

Todd said he had confidence in the pitch that was coming to him, as he was waiting for a fastball on a 3-1 count.

“I definitely was hitting fastball cause I think there was a runner on first and second, and so if they would’ve walked me, it would’ve put the bases loaded,” Todd said. “Their mindset was that they had to throw a strike in that situation.”

VCU made a comeback attempt as it scored a run in the eighth and a run in the ninth, but Vinnie Tarantola and Garret Price closed out the game on the mound for VCU as the Flames won 5-4.

“He’s the only guy in that dugout that’s finished the game here,” Jackson said in regards to Price, who wound up with a save.

Jackson said the biggest thing in the game was that the team had some opening day jitters that they were getting over. He said the game “went our way today.” He really likes his offense, especially the first four in his lineup, and said his team is a special group of kids.

Jackson was really proud of the way Embry in particular played and hit in the game. Putting him in with four different pitchers in his first college start as a catcher put pressure on him, and he got over the pressure and played a great game. Jackson said the Embry home run gave him chills.

“I got chills when that ball left the ballpark. I mean that’s how you’re supposed to draw it up as a coach,” Jackson said.

Later this season, the Flames will take on number 6 North Carolina and number 15 Virginia. The next home game will be against the Birmingham Bearcats Friday, Feb. 23.