The Liberty Flames concluded the regular season by winning two of three games in Kennesaw, Georgia over the Kennesaw State Owls. The Flames won five of six over the past two weeks against the second place team in the ASUN’s North Division. The Flames conclude the regular season with an overall record of 35-12 and a 19-2 record in conference play.

FRIDAY: LIBERTY 3, KENNESAW STATE 1

For the second straight Friday night, Liberty southpaw Trevor DeLaite pitched a complete game against Kennesaw State, this time helping lift the Flames to a 3-1 victory over the Owls at Stillwell Baseball Stadium. DeLaite, who went the distance last Friday in a 4-0 win over KSU, allowed just one run on four hits in his nine innings while striking out three and not walking a batter as he improves to 9-1 on the season with four complete games.

Gray Betts’ RBI triple in the third inning put the first run on the board in the game. The Liberty catcher would score on a wild pitch to give the Flames a 2-0 lead. Cam Locklear was the only player in the game with two hits and he drove in Liberty’s final run of the game with a single in the ninth.

SATURDAY: LIBERTY 12, KENNESAW STATE 11

The Flames were able to hold off Kennesaw State’s furious ninth inning rally for the team’s eight straight victory and fifth straight against the Owls. Liberty designated hitter Brady Gulakowski got things started for Liberty with a three-run home run in the top of the first inning. It was the slugger’s ninth home run of the season. Gulakowski finished the game 3 for 4 on the afternoon with four RBIs and two runs.

Second baseman Will Wagner’s triple in the fifth inning scored two of Liberty’s three runs in the inning as the Flames pushed out to a commanding 6-1 lead. Jaylen Guy would tack on a run in the sixth after he stole third base and was able to score on a throwing error.

Making his second straight Saturday start, Dylan Cumming had another solid outing. The righty went seven innings while allowing five hits and three runs to put Liberty in good position. Liberty would add a run in the seventh and the eighth as the lead was 9-3 entering the bottom of the eighth inning.

Owls designated hitter Malik Spratling nearly kept KSU hanging around by himself. His three–run blast in the bottom of the eight, one of his three home runs on the day, kept Kennesaw State in the game at 9-6 entering the ninth inning.

Liberty left fielder Aaron Anders had three hits and a home run of his own, his fourth of the season, which came in the top half of the ninth and brought Liberty’s lead to 12-6.

Kennesaw State was able to load the bases in the ninth and hit a grand slam and went back-to-back on home runs as Spratling made the score 12-11. Fraser Ellard was able to come in and close the door with help from his first baseman Logan Mathieu as he made a nice snag on a ball tailing away from him down the line that would have gone for extra bases.

SUNDAY: KENNESAW STATE 7, LIBERTY 4

In the final game of the 2021 regular season, Liberty’s win streak came to end in Kennesaw, Georgia. Prior to the loss, Liberty had won 15 consecutive ASUN conference games. Will Wagner had two hits and belted his seventh home run of the year. Flames third baseman Trey McDyre also had two hits, a double, an RBI, and scored a run.

Starter Trey Gibson was only able to go four innings as KSU scored three runs on the freshman right hander. The Owls scored two runs each on Liberty relievers Cade Hungate and Mason Hand to stretch their lead. Flames’ shortstop Cam Locklear hit a home run to lead off the ninth inning, but it wouldn’t be enough.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: WILL WAGNER

Liberty second baseman Will Wagner finished the week 4 of 10 at the plate with four runs scored, three RBI’s, a triple, and a home run. He also managed to reach base safely in all three games this week against the Owls.

PITCHER OF THE WEEK: TREVOR DELAITE

DeLaite continues to cement himself as the ace of the Liberty staff. Every time Scott Jackson hands him the ball to open a weekend series Friday night, the former Maine pitcher has been able to deliver for his head coach. This week, DeLaite again went the distance and nearly threw another shutout. He did hurl his fourth complete game of the season as he improved to 9-1 on the season. KSU was only able to scrape together one run on four hits while striking out three. DeLaite did not surrender a walk in the contest.

ON TAP

With the regular season behind them, the Flames now set their eyes on securing the ASUN’s automatic berth into the 2021 NCAA Baseball Championship. Liberty, the No. 1 seed in the North Division, takes on the No. 4 seed Bellarmine for a best of three series beginning Friday night at Liberty Baseball Stadium with first pitch scheduled for 6 pm.

The Flames and Knights have met six times previously this season with Liberty winning five of the games. Liberty has outscored Bellarmine in the season series by a combined score of 49-29, but that is slightly skewed with the Flames coming out on top in one contest 15-3. Three of the games were decided by just one run.

The winner of the weekend series in Lynchburg will advance to the final four of the ASUN Baseball Tournament where the remaining teams will compete in a double elimination tournament.

ASUN STANDINGS

NORTH
#1 Liberty……………………..19-2 ASUN…35-12 overall
#2 Kennesaw State………13-8 ASUN…27-19 overall
#3 Lipscomb………………..8-13 ASUN…18-27 overall
#4 Bellarmine……………….8-16 ASUN…13-34 overall
North Alabama…………..6-15 ASUN…7-39 overall

SOUTH
#1 FGCU………………………12-6 ASUN…27-18 overall
#2 North Florida……………11-7 ASUN…19-21 overall
#3 Stetson……………………10-8 ASUN…26-21 overall
#4 Jacksonville……………3-15 ASUN…11-31 overall