Gulakowski Belts 3 Home Runs as Liberty Routs UNF 22-4, Friday

Designated hitter Brady Gulakowski became the first Flame since 2007 to belt three home runs in a game, leading Liberty to a 22-4 victory over the North Florida Ospreys, Friday evening at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium.

Gulakowski went 4-for-4 with a career-high eight RBI and four runs scored in the contest. He hit a three-run home run in the first, a grand slam in the second and a solo shot in the fifth inning in the contest, becoming the first Flame since Tim Nanry in a 28-7 win over Richmond at Riley Park in Charleston, S.C. on Feb. 18, 2007, with a trio of home runs in a game. With his three home runs on the night, Gulakowski now has nine on the season.

All nine batters in Liberty’s lineup had at least one hit in the contest, as the Flames plated six runs in the first and eight in the second inning for a commanding 14-0 advantage.

Pinch hitter Drew Baughman hit his second home run of the season in the contest.

Liberty moves to 24-12 overall and 10-6 in ASUN Conference play. North Florida falls to 16-23 overall and 6-10 in the conference.

Box Score Highlights

Records: North Florida (16-23, 6-10 ASUN); Liberty (24-12, 10-6 ASUN)

Location: Lynchburg, Va. (Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium)

WP: Garrett Horn (5-1) | LP: Max McKinley (2-4)

Scoring Summary

1^st INNING – LIBERTY – Hill singles, Anderson and Betts score, 2-0

1^st INNING – LIBERTY – Foster flies out, Hillier scores, 3-1

1^st INNING – LIBERTY – Gulakowski homers, Mathieu and Hill score, 6-0

2^nd INNING – LIBERTY – Orndorff doubles, Betts scores, 7-0

2^nd INNING – LIBERTY – Hill singles, Orndorff scores, 8-0

2^nd INNING – LIBERTY – Foster singes, Hillier scores, 9-0

2^nd INNING – LIBERTY – Gulakowski homers, Foster, Mathieu and Hill score, 13-0

2^nd INNING – LIBERTY – Anderson grounds out, Keeter scores, 14-0

3^rd INNING – UNF – Holmes homers, Gerteisen scores, 14-2

3^rd INNING – LIBERTY – Foster grounds out, Hillier scores, 15-2

4^th INNING – UNF – Leach homers, 15-3

4^th INNING – LIBERTY – Hill reaches on a fielder’s choice, Orndorff and Betts score, 17-3

5^th INNING – LIBERTY – Gulakowski homers, 18-3

7^th INNING – LIBERTY - Anderson doubles, Keeter and Gulakowski score, 20-3

7^th INNING – LIBERTY – Orndorff doubles, Anderson scores,21-3

8^th INNING – LIBERTY – Baughman homers, 22-3

9^th INNING – UNF – Grodi grounds into a double play, Brown scores, 22-4

Notable Numbers

- Liberty collected a season-high 20 hits in the contest. North Florida had seven.

- The Ospreys committed two errors. The Flames one.

- Liberty starting pitcher Garrett Horn records the win. He pitched six innings, allowing three runs on four hits. He struck out eight and walked two.

- Flames’ outfielders Aaron Anderson and Derek Orndorff had three hits apiece. Anderson had three RBI and Orndorff two.

- Liberty third baseman Stephen Hill had two hits and drove in four runs in the contest.

- Flames catcher Gray Betts also had two hits. He scored three times in the game.

- UNF starter Max McKinley did not make it out of the first inning. He was roughed up for six runs on four hits in 2/3 of an inning.

- Ospreys catcher Dallen Leach and center fielder Justin Holmes each hit home runs.

Beyond the Box Score

- The Flames and the Ospreys are meeting in a three-game series for the second time this season, as each team in the ASUN’s East Division will play each other twice in 2022. Liberty took two of the three games in the first meeting, March 19-20.

- Liberty sets a new season-high with 20 hits, eclipsing its previous high of 18 in a win over Kennesaw State in game one of a doubleheader last Friday.

- The Flames’ 22 runs are the most by a Liberty team in a game since winning 26-1 in seven innings at James Madison on April 11, 2017.

- Gulakowski sets new career-highs for hits, home runs, RBI and runs scored (four) in the contest. His eight RBI were one shy of the program record of nine by Tyler Bream on March 22, 2009 in a win over High Point and Pat Sipe on April 19, 1986 in a win over Richmond.

- Anderson collected his fourth three-hit game of the season and his team-leading 17 multi-hit contest, this season. The outfielder extended his hitting streak to nine games, the longest by a Flame in 2022.

- For the second time this season, Hill drove in a season-high four runs against North Florida. The third baseman also had four RBI on March 19 in game one of a doubleheader at UNF

Next Up

Liberty and North Florida will meet in the middle game of their three-game series at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium. Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m.