Liberty had a season-high 19 hits on Tuesday evening in a 13-4 win at Atlantic Union Bank Park in Blacksburg to defeat the Virginia Tech Hokies. All nine Flames in the lineup had at least one hit and five had two or more in the contest. The Flames’ previous high this season for hits was 18 in a 13-3 win in 8 innings over Middle Tennessee on April 4 at Liberty Baseball Stadium. 17 of the 19 hits were recorded from the fourth inning onward.
Liberty moves to 26-19 overall while the Hokies fall to 27-19. The win marks Liberty’s sixth against ACC teams this season, improving to 6-3 against teams from the ACC and 7-4 in the midweek. The Hokies are now 10-2 this season during midweek play.
Liberty starting pitcher Caleb Lingenfelter evens his record at 2-2 on the season with the win. He gave up two runs on four hits over four innings while striking out three and walking three. Lengenfelter got out of a bases loaded jam in the second inning.
Virginia Tech took a 2-0 lead early before the Flames plated four runs in the fourth inning and then sent 11 men to the plate in the sixth, scoring six runs to take control of the contest. Landon Scilley accounted for the bases-clearing, three-RBI double that catapulted the Flames to the 7-3 lead while Michael Gibson – who had led off the sixth inning with a base hit – delivered a two-RBI single during his second plate appearance of the frame.
Left fielder Nick Barone was 4 for 4 with a walk, an RBI, and scored three times. It’s his first four-hit game of the season and third consecutive game with two or more hits. He has 13 multi-hit games on the season. First baseman Michael Gibson, second baseman Easton Swofford, and shortstop Tanner Marsh each had three hits apiece in the game. Gibson, making his first start at first base this season, drove in three runs and scored twice, while Swofford had an RBI and scored a run. Gibson recorded his first three-hit game and third multi-hit game of the season. Marsh had two doubles, drove in a run, and scored twice. Center fielder Michael Robertson also had two hits to go along with an RBI and a run scored.
Hokies’ starter Chase Swift takes the loss. He allowed three runs on three hits over three innings while striking out three and walking three.
Liberty travels to Huntsville, Texas for a three-game CUSA series against the Sam Houston Bearkats. The series begins Friday at Dan Sanders Stadium with first pitch scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST.
