LIBERTY AT VIRGINIA TECH
March 27
English Field at Union Park
Blacksburg, Va.

Tuesday – 4 p.m.

COMPLETE BASEBALL NOTES

ACC Network Extra: Tuesday 

LFSN Radio Coverage: 93.3FM ESPN Radio

Live Stats:  Tuesday

Quick Stats
• Liberty and Virginia Tech will be meeting for the first time since 2016 on Tuesday.  Virginia Tech holds a 39-25 advantage in the all-time series.
• Liberty has had its last two midweek games, both against George Mason, canceled due to inclement weather. The Flames defeated Youngstown State, 12-2, in their last midweek contest on March 7.
• Liberty has a posted a 11-4 record at Liberty Baseball Stadium this season, while posting a 2-5 mark on the road. Tuesday's game will be the Flames' first road game played in Virginia.
• Liberty was picked to finish second in the 2018 Big South Preseason Poll by the league's head coaches. In addition, Liberty outfielder D.J. Artis was tabbed the 2018 Big South Preseason Player of the Year.
• The Flames are in their second season under Head Coach Scott Jackson. He has led Liberty to a 45-32 record during his two seasons.

Out on the Road
Starting with Tuesday's contest at Virginia Tech, the Flames will play 13 out of their next 17 games on the road. Liberty has posted a 2-5 mark on the road, so far this season. The Flames took a three-game Big South series at Gardner-Webb, 2-1, March 16-18, in their latest road outings.  

Liberty has hit .251 on the road this season. D.J. Artis leads the Flames with a .370 road batting average.

Last season, the Flames finished  with their best road record since 2010. Liberty went 15-7 (.682) on the road. 

Todd Among National Leaders
Outfielder Tre Todd starts the week among the national leaders in on base percentage and walks.
Todd is currently fifth in the country with a .538 on base percentage. The junior leads the nation in walks per games, averaging 1.36 per game, and is second with 30 walks.  Teammate D.J. Artis is 11th with 23 bases on balls.

The Deptford, N.J. native also leads the Big South Conference with 29 RBI and a . 681 in slugging percentage. In addition, Todd is among the Big South leaders in batting average (.333) and  home runs (5).

Fellow Flame Artis leads the Big South with 24 runs scored and three triples.

Yacyk 1 Shy of 100 RBI
Designated hitter Andrew Yacyk enters the week with 99 career RBI, one shy of milestone 100. The redshirt senior has averaged 30 RBI over his previous three seasons in a Liberty uniform and has seven RBI in 2018.

The Hagerstown, Md. native is also three doubles away from breaking into the program's top 10 career doubles list. Yacyk, who has a career .281 batting average, has 44 career doubles.  Former teammate Alex Close (2012-15) and Tyler Bream (2009-11) are currently tied for 10th on the list with 47.

Price Big South Relief Pitcher of the Week
Liberty right-hander Garret Price has been named the Big South Relief Pitcher of the Week for games played March 19-25.

Price was called upon twice to shut down the opposition this past weekend to prevent big innings in Liberty's series against the UNC Asheville Bulldogs. In the first game of a doubleheader on Friday, Price came in with Liberty on top 5-1, but the bases loaded and two out in the sixth inning. The right-hander struck out the next Bulldog to prevent any more scoring. He then pitched two more scoreless innings, striking out six of the nine batters he faced and allowing the Flames to pull away for the 8-1 win.
     
 Saturday, Price entered Liberty's contest with the Bulldogs in the top of the fifth with the Flames trailing 4-2, two men on and no out. Price minimized damage, giving up a single, before retiring the next three to keep Liberty within three at 5-2. He struck out two of the batters he faced. Liberty then scored 11 runs in the bottom of fifth, en route to the victory and the series win, two games to one.

For the season, Price has posted a 2-1 record with four saves and a 2.66 ERA in a team-high 12 appearances. He has struck out 34 batters and walked six in 20 1/3 innings.

Around the Diamond

• C Jonathan Embry walked three times and scored a career-high three times in Liberty's game one win over UNC Asheville, Friday.
• 1B Dylan Allen enters the week second on the Flames in both RBI (20) and runs scored (23).
• SS Cam Locklear has had at least one hit in 13 of his last 14 games. The shortstop hit .417 during Liberty's three-game series against UNC Asheville, this past weekend.
• Wtih a stolen base on Saturday, CF D.J. Artis tied for sixth on Liberty's career stolen base list with 57. He has reached base safely in every game this season.