Liberty Baseball: Flames take season opener over South Carolina in extras

Published Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, 11:07 pm

Front Page » Sports » Liberty Baseball: Flames take season opener over South Carolina in extras

Join AFP's 100,000+ followers on Facebook

Purchase a subscription to AFP | Subscribe to AFP podcasts on iTunes

News, press releases, letters to the editor: augustafreepress2@gmail.com

Advertising inquiries: freepress@ntelos.net

After second baseman Will Wagner hit a home run with two outs to tie the game in the top of the ninth, third baseman Tyler Galazin scored on a two-out wild pitch in the 11th inning for a 6-5 win over the South Carolina Gamecocks Friday to open the 2019 season.

Liberty overcame three deficits on scoreboard for the win.

Wagner led all batters in the contest with three hits, including his first career home run in the ninth. The Flames move to 1-0 on the year, while South Carolina drops to 0-1.

Trailing 5-4 with two outs in the top of the ninth, Wagner ripped a 1-1 pitch over the right field wall to tie the game at 5-5.

Wagner posted his first multi-hit game and hit the first home run of his career in the contest. The sophomore recorded three hits, walked twice and scored two runs in the contest.

Right-hander Evan Brabrand picks up his first win at Liberty. The reliever pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits. He struck out four and walked one.

In his first appearance in a Liberty uniform, starting pitcher Andrew McInvale gave up four runs, three earned, over five innings. The right-hander struck out eight and walked one.

UVA Basketball Fans!

Team of Destiny: Inside Virginia Basketball’s Run to the 2019 National Championship, by Jerry Ratcliffe and Chris Graham, is available for $25. The book, with additional reporting by Zach Pereles, Scott Ratcliffe, and Scott German, will take you from the aftermath of the stunning first-round loss to UMBC in 2018 through to the thrilling overtime win over Texas Tech to win the 2019 national title, the first in school history.

Dick Vitale on Team of Destiny: “This is a hoops story you will LOVE! Jerry and Chris capture the sensational and dramatic championship journey by Tony Bennett and his tenacious Cavalier team. UVA was Awesome Baby and so is this book!”

Ralph Sampson on Team of Destiny: “Jerry and Chris have lived and seen it all, even before my time. I highly recommend this book to every basketball fan across the globe. This story translates to all who know defeat and how to overcome it!”

Buy here.