Liberty Blanks North Alabama for Second Day in a Row

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For the second day in a row, Liberty's pitching staff kept the visiting Lions' bats in check, giving the Flames a 7-0 win over North Alabama, Saturday afternoon at Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium.

Following a one-hit, complete game shutout win by Trevor Delaite during the ASUN Conference opener on Friday, three Liberty pitchers combined to allow just two hits to North Alabama on Saturday.

Mason Meyer runs his record to 2-1 on the season, scattering two hits over six innings of work, while fanning four batters.

Will Wagner paced Liberty at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI, while Jaylen Guy was 1-for-3 and drove in three runs.

Winners of seven straight contests, Liberty moves to 9-5 overall and 2-0 in ASUN Conference action. North Alabama falls to 1-11 overall and 0-2 in ASUN play.

Box Score Highlights
Records: North Alabama (1-11, 0-2 ASUN); Liberty (9-5, 2-0 ASUN)
Location: Lynchburg, Va. (Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium)
WP: Mason Myers (2-1) | LP: Chase Best (0-3)

Scoring Summary
LIBERTY – 4th INNING – Wilson singles, Wagner scores, 1-0
LIBERTY – 5th INNING – Wagner singles, McDyre scores, 2-0
LIBERTY – 6th INNING – McDyre reached on fielder's choice, Mathieu scores, 3-0
LIBERTY – 6th INNING – Guy reached on fielder's choice, Locklear scores, 4-0
LIBERTY – 8th INNING – Guy doubles, McDyre and Gulakowski scores, 6-0
LIBERTY – 8th INNING – Betts flies out to left field, Guy scores, 7-0

Notable Numbers

• Liberty outhit North Alabama, 9-2, in the contest. The Flames committed the game's lone error.
• Liberty stranded seven runs and North Alabama leaving five on base in the contest.
• Following six scoreless innings by Meyer, David Erickson and Nick Willard finished off the shutout victory.
• Erickson fanned three of the seven batters he faced during his two scoreless innings of relief work.
• Willard finished off the ninth inning, striking out one and walking a batter.
• North Alabama starter Chase Best was roughed up over the five innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits, while walking five and striking out three batters.

Turning Point
The Flames broke up the pitcher's duel in the bottom of the fourth inning when Will Wagner dropped in a triple to lead off the home half of the frame. Three pitches later, Jake Wilson singled to right field, driving in Wagner and to give Liberty a 1-0 lead.

The Lions looked like they might answer in the top half of the fifth inning when Drew Hudson opened the inning with a double down the left field line. After a throwing error on a bunt attempt, North Alabama had runners at second and third with no one out. However, back-to-back bunt attempt outs and a running grab by Aaron Anderson to a ball hit deep to the gap in left kept the visitors off the scoreboard.

The Flames responded with a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth, giving Liberty's pitching staff all the support, it would need to pick up the Flames' second ASUN win this season.

Beyond the Box Score

• With the shutout win today, Liberty has posted back-to-back shutout victories for the first time since 2014 (April 5 and April 6 vs. VMI).
• Wagner posted his third multi-hit game in his last four games, hitting .533 (8-for-15). The infielder led off the fourth inning with a perfectly placed base hit to the gap in right center, giving him his first triple of the season and the second of his Liberty career.
• Liberty's pitching staff held North Alabama off the scoreboard for the second game in a row, running the Lions' scoreless streak to 20 consecutive innings.
• The Flames finished the day with four stolen bases, a new season high, and have now stolen nine bases in the last five games. It is the first time that Liberty has four or more bases in a game since April 6, 2018 in a 9-1 win at Campbell.
• Guy tied a career high with three RBI in the game, following a three-RBI game against North Carolina A&T earlier this season on Feb. 24.

Up Next

        The Flames and the Lions will wrap up their opening ASUN Conference series of the year on Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. from Worthington Field at Liberty Baseball Stadium.

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