Liberty Slugs Way to 14-8 Win

The Liberty Flames never trailed, scoring six runs in the opening inning and slugging out a 14-8 win over the High Point Panthers in game one of a Big South baseball doubleheader, Saturday afternoon at Worthington Stadium.

With its fifth-straight victory, Liberty moves to 3-2 in Big South action and 18-8 overall. High Point drops to 3-5 in conference play and 16-12 overall.

The Flames sent 12 batters to the plate in the first inning. Center fielder Curran Redal led off the frame with a single and was aboard as shortstop Matt Williams followed with his first career home run for a quick, 2-0 lead. Later in the inning with one out and two men aboard, left fielder Doug Bream hit his first home run of the year into the right field bullpen, for a 5-0 bulge. Catcher Jerry Neufang plated second baseman P.J. Jimenez with the final run of frame on a sacrifice fly, giving Liberty a 6-0 advantage.

The Flames added a run in the second, pushing their lead to 7-0. Doug Bream was hit by a pitch with two out, and Jimenez followed with a triple to the wall in center field.

High Point began closing its deficit in the third. With runners on the corners and two out, catcher Kyle Mahoney singled to score the first Panther run of the contest. Left fielder Matt Gantner followed with a RBI double, cutting the Liberty advantage to 7-2.

In the fifth, the Panthers sliced the Flames' edge to one at 7-6, with four runs. Right fielder Nate Robertson started the scoring with a three-run home run, his ninth of the season. A fielder's choice ground out by second baseman Aaron Barlett later plated the fourth run of the High Point fifth.

Liberty widened its edge once again in the sixth inning. With one out, the Flames loaded the bases, and scored on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Trey Wimmer, upping their advantage to 8-6. Two batters later with the bases again full, Redal laid down a bunt single to score one runner, and when the throw got away at first base, Jimenez, who had singled, also came home, giving Liberty a 10-6 advantage.

The seventh saw both teams plate runs. In the top of the inning, a two-run double by Gantner made it, 10-8 Flames. In the bottom of the inning, Liberty countered with three runs on a RBI single by right fielder Michael Robertson, a fielder's choice RBI by Jimenez and a RBI single by Wimmer for a 13-8 lead.

The Flames added an insurance run in the eighth for the final score of 14-8. Redal doubled and later scored on a double play.

Keegan Linza moves to a conference-leading 6-0 on the year. The Liberty right-hander allowed eight runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out one batter and struck out three. Josh Richardson earned his second save of the year, with a scoreless 2 2/3 innings.

Panther starter Brian Jones takes the loss to drop to 0-3 on the season. The first of five High Point pitchers in the game was roughed up for five runs on four hits in 1/3 inning of work.

Redal led the Flames, going 5-for-6 in the contest, scoring twice and driving in a run. The five-hit contest was the first of the center fielder's career at Liberty. Jimenez went 3-for-4 with a walk, two RBIs and a run scored. Gantner had three hits and three RBIs for the Panthers.

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Team Stats

Curran Redal

P.J. Jimenez

Matt Williams

Michael Robertson