Shortstop Cam Locklear belted two home runs and Flames pitchers struck out 15 Bulldogs, powering Liberty to an 8-1 victory over the host Citadel, Sunday in the final game of the Charleston Crab House Challenge at Riley Park.
Flames’ freshman shortstop Locklear hit the first two home runs of his collegiate career. His first home run plated the first Liberty run of the game in the second inning, while his second home run of the game, a two-run shot, came in the fourth.
Meanwhile, Liberty pitchers Jackson Bertsch, Evan Mitchell and Garret Price combined to allow one run and strike out 15 batters, causing the Bulldogs to leave 12 men on base.
Flames center fielder D.J. Artis led all hitters in the contest by going 3-for-4 on the afternoon. All three of the outfielder’s hits were doubles.
Liberty finishes its season opening weekend at the Charleston Crab House Challenge with a 2-1 mark. The Citadel drops to 0-3. The Flames have won their last three meetings with the Bulldogs. All three contests have been part of a tournament hosted by The Citadel at Riley Park.
Liberty jumped onto the scoreboard on Locklear’s home run in the top of the second. The freshman ripped a 0-1 pitch over the left field wall to give the Flames a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the inning, Liberty right-hander Bertsch worked his way out of a Bulldogs’ scoring threat without yielding a run. A Flames’ fielding error allowed left fielder Joe Sabatini to reach to open the inning. Two batters later, center fielder Taylor Cothran drew a one-out walk and stole second base, putting both runners in scoring position. However, Bertsch held the runners in place, striking out the next two The Citadel hitters to end the inning.
The Bulldogs tied the contest in the third. The Citadel loaded the bases with two outs on a single and two hit batsmen. Catcher Bryce Leasure then walked to force in a run, knotting the game at 1-1.
Liberty pushed three runs across in the fourth. Catcher Matt Allen legged out an infield single to lead off the inning. Locklear followed with his second round tripper of the afternoon, a high blast over the scoreboard in left for a 3-1 Flames’ advantage. Later in the top half of the inning, second baseman Andrew Kowalo walked and scored on a two-out double to right by Artis for a 4-1 edge.
Again in the bottom of the inning, the host Bulldogs threatened with one out, only to come away empty. With the bases loaded, Mitchell took over on the mound for the Flames and struck out the next two Bulldogs to squelch the scoring threat.
Head Coach Scott Jackson’s team benefitted from a two-out Bulldogs miscue in the fifth to extend its lead. With the bases loaded with Flames and two away, The Citadel first baseman Ben Peden booted a ground ball by designated hitter Jonathan Embry, allowing right fielder Will Shepherd to score and give Liberty a 5-1 advantage.
Liberty tacked on three more runs in the sixth. Artis led off the inning with a ground rule double and left fielder Jake Barbee walked. Shepherd followed with a double into the left field gap to plate Artis with the first run of the frame. After Barbee came home on a wild pitch, Shepherd scored on ground out by Allen, upping the Liberty lead to 8-1.
The Flames added a run in the top of the ninth when Shepherd was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for the final score of 9-1.
Liberty’s Bertsch pitched 3 1/3 innings, giving up one run on two hits. The right-hander struck out six and walked two.
Mitchell (1-0) followed and picked up the win. The right-hander pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits. He struck out seven and walked one.
Price pitched the final two innings. He struck out two and walked one.
Reliever Will Pillsbury (0-1) takes the loss for The Citadel. The Flames roughed up the left-hander for four runs on four hits over 1 1/3 innings. The second of seven Bulldogs to pitch in the contest, he struck out one and walked two.
Liberty collected 12 hits on the afternoon. The Citadel managed four hits off of the Flames’ mound trio.
Up Next: Liberty will host the Kentucky Wildcats for their home opener on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
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