A little late in getting back but while I was gone, the Liberty Flames got off to a (excuse the pun) hot start last weekend down in Kennesaw GA as they faced the Kennesaw State Owls to open the 2010 season.
Friday saw the opener to the 2009 season and the Flames got on the board first thanks to a pair of runs in the first inning, the first courtesy of freshman All-American Tyler Bream, who was returning from an injury. Bream, who had one of the hottest bats before getting hurt, showed no effects of rust as he smashed a double into rightfield and gave the Flames first blood. Right fielder Michael Thompson them followed with a suicide squeeze to plate Curran Redal (who had been hit by a pitch earlier in the inning) and give the Flames a 2-0 lead. After KSU cut the lead in half, followed by a scoreless second inning, Redal and Robertson went to work again, as this time Redal ripped a single through the box and after advancing all the way to third, Robertson drove him in a second time with his own single giving LU a two run lead again, 3-1.
After a scoreless fourth and fifth innings, LU turned the fire up and blew the game wide open, scoring four runs on four hits to take a 7-1 lead. From there Liberty cruised to a 10-4 win. Bream led the way going 3-3 with 4 RBI including a towering home run in the eighth inning. Senior Shawn Teufel got the win for LU tossing 4 innings of one-hit ball and striking out seven.
Saturday was more of the same as the Flames again jumped out to a 2-1 lead and then scored eight unanswered runs the rest of the way on the way to an 11-2 win. Junior transfer Jerry Neufang drove in three runs and the FLames got nine hits to back Keegan Linza in his debut in an LU uniform as he went six innings, walking one and striking out eight.
Sunday was a near repeat of the series opener as LU jumped to an early lead, but this time the Owls were able to tie it in teh bottom of the first, before the bats came to life and LU outscored KSU 9-3 (including five straight runs) the rest of the way to get the sweep 10-4. Tyler Bream ked teh way going 4-5 to finish the weekend with a .700 batting average, while PJ Jimenez and MIchael Roberston both went 3-5 to back starter Steven Evans, who went four innings, allowing a run and two walks while striking out 4 to get the win.
This weekend the Flames head down to Wilmington NC for the Hughes Brothers Challenge hosted by UNC Wilmington. the Flames will play Morehead State Friday to open, then Lehigh on Saturday and finish the weekend against the very good host Seahawks. Check out Chris Lang's blog on the Lynchburg News and Advance website for more information.
Until next time,
Fan the Flames
Friday, February 26, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Fan the Flames Baseball Preview Pt. 2
We're back sports fans, taking a look at the 2010 Liberty Flames baseball team. This week the Flames kick off their season facing teh Kennesaw State Owls. We're looking at the guys who will be taking the field in Liberty uniform this spring. Today its the infielders and catchers
Infielders
One thing that is a huge benefit for LU is that the entire starting infield is coming back for next year. Going around the horn starting at first base is Trey Wimmer. Wimmer tied for third on the team last year with 6 HRs going on to hit .299 with 32 RBIs (good for fifth on the team last spring). JC transfer PJ Jimenez came right in and started at second base and made a big impression, finishing fourth on the team in fielding percentage (.982). Matt Williams (not to be confused with or related to the former MLB star) came in as a true freshman and did not disappoint, hitting .288, with 49 runs scored (good for second on the team) and 13 stolen bases in 20 attempts (easily leading the team). Another freshman last year, Tyler Bream, comes back to man the "hot corner". Bream, son of former Major Leaguer Sid Bream, made about as big a splash as a freshman could make before going down to injury. Despite only playing 46 games, he finished third on the team in hitting (.337), tied for the team lead in home runs (8) and led the team in slugging percentage (.572). He was voted a freshman All-American and if not for his injury, probably would have been an all conference selection.
Finally, the biggest change in the infield actually comes from behind the plate, where four year starter all conference selection Errol Hollinger graduated. The cupboard is by no means bare behind the plate as senior Nate Thompson, Hollinger's primary backup, will take his place. behind thompson for the most part will be transfer Jerry Neufang as well as Trey Wimmer although expect most if not all of his action to be at first base.
Two players look to get their chances on the field this year in Josh Richardson and Austin Taylor. Richardson comes to the Flames after finishing his career at Greenbrier Christian Academy as the Virginia State Player of the year for private schools and Taylor comes fron the Florida panhandle after spending a year at Tallahassee Community College where he led the team in runs scored (67) and RBIs (56) so he certainly brings a big bat to the mountain. Taylor was also selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2007 MLB player entry draft.
Tomorrow we will wrap up the player portion of our preview by looking at the outfield.
Until then...
Fan the Flames
All information and statistics comes from the Liberty Flames official athletic website www.libertyflames.com
Infielders
One thing that is a huge benefit for LU is that the entire starting infield is coming back for next year. Going around the horn starting at first base is Trey Wimmer. Wimmer tied for third on the team last year with 6 HRs going on to hit .299 with 32 RBIs (good for fifth on the team last spring). JC transfer PJ Jimenez came right in and started at second base and made a big impression, finishing fourth on the team in fielding percentage (.982). Matt Williams (not to be confused with or related to the former MLB star) came in as a true freshman and did not disappoint, hitting .288, with 49 runs scored (good for second on the team) and 13 stolen bases in 20 attempts (easily leading the team). Another freshman last year, Tyler Bream, comes back to man the "hot corner". Bream, son of former Major Leaguer Sid Bream, made about as big a splash as a freshman could make before going down to injury. Despite only playing 46 games, he finished third on the team in hitting (.337), tied for the team lead in home runs (8) and led the team in slugging percentage (.572). He was voted a freshman All-American and if not for his injury, probably would have been an all conference selection.
Finally, the biggest change in the infield actually comes from behind the plate, where four year starter all conference selection Errol Hollinger graduated. The cupboard is by no means bare behind the plate as senior Nate Thompson, Hollinger's primary backup, will take his place. behind thompson for the most part will be transfer Jerry Neufang as well as Trey Wimmer although expect most if not all of his action to be at first base.
Two players look to get their chances on the field this year in Josh Richardson and Austin Taylor. Richardson comes to the Flames after finishing his career at Greenbrier Christian Academy as the Virginia State Player of the year for private schools and Taylor comes fron the Florida panhandle after spending a year at Tallahassee Community College where he led the team in runs scored (67) and RBIs (56) so he certainly brings a big bat to the mountain. Taylor was also selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2007 MLB player entry draft.
Tomorrow we will wrap up the player portion of our preview by looking at the outfield.
Until then...
Fan the Flames
All information and statistics comes from the Liberty Flames official athletic website www.libertyflames.com
Monday, February 15, 2010
Fan the Flames Baseball Preview
That's right sports fans, Im back after a long hiatus and with the return comes branching out to cover more LU sports, not just football. With snow still on the ground here in Lynchburg, its hard to believe that its already time to break out the aluminum and welcome the boys of spring again.
LU finished with better than 30 wins for the fifth straight season in 2009, going 33-21 and finishing with the most wins in the first two years for an LU coach with 68. 16 times last year, the Flames scored 10 or more runs in a game, and they won all 16 times. They finished the year with the fourth most runs in team history (383, the record being 492 in 2002), finished with better than 40 team home runs for the third time in four seasons (60, the record is 87 in 1998) and set records for the highest fielding percentage (.974) AND fewest errors (53) in a season.
Over the next five days we will take a look ahead to the 2010 season for the Flames and get you ready for the opening series this Friday-Sunday down in Kennesaw, GA against Kennesaw State.
Today we will take a look at Liberty's role in baseball's arms race.
The major benefit for Liberty this season is there is lots of experience coming back on the mound in addition to some talented new faces. It all starts with the frontliners as converted fielder Shawn Teufel returns for his second season on the hill after a very successful season last year, going 9-2 with a 4.33 earned run average (ERA) and a team leading 72 strike outs in 72.2 innings pitched (which also tied for the team lead with Steven Evans) finishing first team all-conference. Making his return to the mound in 2010 is right-hander Dustin Umberger. In his last full season, Umberger led the Big South Conference in strikeouts (88) and was among the leaders in wins (8) and ERA (3.80) This should give the Flames a solid 1-2 punch going into weekend series, with lefty Steven Evans (from right up the road in Amherst) giving head coach Jim Toman two lefthanders he can call on. Evans finished last year second on the team in wins behind Teufel (7) and third in strikeouts (45) in 12 starts. Evans was the workhorse of the staff last year, logging the only complete games by a Flames pitcher. Also look for Mark Swanson to make some midweek starts after he comes back from injury in 2009. Even though he only made 6 starts last year, he made the most of them going 4-0 with a 2.79 ERA and 35 strikeouts.
In the bullpen seniors Carter Browning and Dane Beakler (who like Umberger sat out the 2009 season) lead the way along with sophomore Carter Browning, who started the year as the Flames closer before giving way to senior Andrew Wilson.
a pair of freshmen along with some new upperclassmen faces will compete for innings this year. Cameron Gianinni (from Hargrave Military Academy in nearby Chatham) and Josh Richardson headline the incoming class of hurlers along with upperclassmen Zane Bator, Bryan Cole, J.J. McLeod and Chris Roach all look to contribute this season.
Tomorrow we'll run down the infielders and catchers
Until next time,
Fan the Flames
Information and statistics comes from Liberty Flames website www.libertyflames.com
LU finished with better than 30 wins for the fifth straight season in 2009, going 33-21 and finishing with the most wins in the first two years for an LU coach with 68. 16 times last year, the Flames scored 10 or more runs in a game, and they won all 16 times. They finished the year with the fourth most runs in team history (383, the record being 492 in 2002), finished with better than 40 team home runs for the third time in four seasons (60, the record is 87 in 1998) and set records for the highest fielding percentage (.974) AND fewest errors (53) in a season.
Over the next five days we will take a look ahead to the 2010 season for the Flames and get you ready for the opening series this Friday-Sunday down in Kennesaw, GA against Kennesaw State.
Today we will take a look at Liberty's role in baseball's arms race.
The major benefit for Liberty this season is there is lots of experience coming back on the mound in addition to some talented new faces. It all starts with the frontliners as converted fielder Shawn Teufel returns for his second season on the hill after a very successful season last year, going 9-2 with a 4.33 earned run average (ERA) and a team leading 72 strike outs in 72.2 innings pitched (which also tied for the team lead with Steven Evans) finishing first team all-conference. Making his return to the mound in 2010 is right-hander Dustin Umberger. In his last full season, Umberger led the Big South Conference in strikeouts (88) and was among the leaders in wins (8) and ERA (3.80) This should give the Flames a solid 1-2 punch going into weekend series, with lefty Steven Evans (from right up the road in Amherst) giving head coach Jim Toman two lefthanders he can call on. Evans finished last year second on the team in wins behind Teufel (7) and third in strikeouts (45) in 12 starts. Evans was the workhorse of the staff last year, logging the only complete games by a Flames pitcher. Also look for Mark Swanson to make some midweek starts after he comes back from injury in 2009. Even though he only made 6 starts last year, he made the most of them going 4-0 with a 2.79 ERA and 35 strikeouts.
In the bullpen seniors Carter Browning and Dane Beakler (who like Umberger sat out the 2009 season) lead the way along with sophomore Carter Browning, who started the year as the Flames closer before giving way to senior Andrew Wilson.
a pair of freshmen along with some new upperclassmen faces will compete for innings this year. Cameron Gianinni (from Hargrave Military Academy in nearby Chatham) and Josh Richardson headline the incoming class of hurlers along with upperclassmen Zane Bator, Bryan Cole, J.J. McLeod and Chris Roach all look to contribute this season.
Tomorrow we'll run down the infielders and catchers
Until next time,
Fan the Flames
Information and statistics comes from Liberty Flames website www.libertyflames.com
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