Liberty over High Point in opener of 3 game series‏

LIBERTY OVER HIGH POINT IN OPENER OF 3 GAME SERIES‏

Liberty won the opener of the three game series against High Point last nite in a wild back and forth battle. High Point scored in the 2nd on a solo home run by Kyle Mahoney (2nd) to take the lead at 1-0. Liberty came back with a 5 spot in the top of the 4th highlighted by four Flames hits and aided by two big High Point errors. Liberty added two more runs in the top of the 6th when the High Point left fielder slipped on the wet playing surface to allow the Flames to go up 7-1.

In the bottom of the 6th is where it got a little crazy, High Point scored 7 runs to take an 8-7 run and I am not sure they hit a ball on the barrel. Several shallow bloop hits to left field, which has to be one of the largest outfields in college baseball at 350′ down the line, a couple of border line 3rd strikes that had all the fans screaming at the home plate umpire “Jr”. The most upsetting play in the inning was with the bases loaded and the score 8-7 Liberty, count to the batter 3-2 – the field umpire calls the other umpires for a conference, it only took a couple of minutes, but it totally froze the pitcher at a crucial point. No explanation was given at the time, but then Andrew Wilson threw a 3-2 curve ball that appeared to be right down the middle and Junior called it ball four. It seems after the umps broke the rythym of the pitcher, he would have got this call?

In the top of the 7th Liberty got even when pinch hitter Justin (Donkey) Richardson roped a double the other way to left center to tie the game at 8-8.

Scored stayed tied till the top of the 9th when Errol Hollinger (2009 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year candidate) led off with a single through the right side. Trey Wimmer then blooped a single to right, then it was Donkey Richardson’s time again as he roped a double to the fence in right field to score Wimmer and give the Flames the lead for good.

Jeremy Berg took a tough luck loss as he pitched very well the last three innings for the Panthers, and for Liberty Andrew Wilson got the win going the final 3 1/3 innings.

Spoke with Liberty coaches Jim Toman and Nick Schnabel after it was done and they were still talking abou the wild 6th inning, but you could tell they were very happy that this game did not get away from them. They are at it again on Saturday at 6:00 pm at High Point.