Box Score

Lynchburg, Va. - Liberty capitalized on a pair of walks and two hits as a part of a three-run fourth inning as the Flames handed Western Carolina a 4-2 loss in the Catamounts' finale of the Liberty Baseball Invitational Saturday night at the Liberty Baseball Stadium.

Western Carolina was limited to just five hits including four singles over the nine-inning affair. Junior catcher Danny Bermudez led the way with two of the five on a 2-for-4 outing with a pair of singles. WCU senior Bradley Strong also reached twice with a single and a walk, extending his reached base safely streak to 30-straight games dating back to last season.

Sophomore Matt Smith also reached base twice with a pair of walks, reaching base for the eighth-straight game.

The Flames opened the three-run frame with two hits sandwiched around a fly ball out to center field to put runners at the corners. Nick Salisbury doubled to open the frame with Andrew Yacyk singling to put the first two on base. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases and then drove in the game's first run. With Dalton Britt driving in the first run by drawing the walk.

Liberty's one-out rally continued as Derek Perry reached on a fielder's choice with the Catamount infield looking to turn the double play, scoring one run on the throw to second. However, the relay to first base skipped past the bag allowing the third run to cross the plate, handing the Flames a 3-0 advantage.

Western Carolina responded in the fifth inning as junior infielder Reece Strong hit his first collegiate home run. The Richlands, Va., native drove a shot deep into the right field corner where right fielder Tray Roberts tracked it to the wall. Looking to steal the round-tripper away from the younger Strong brother, Roberts leaped and reached above the fence line only to have the ball tip off the end of his glove and continue over the wall to make it 3-1.

The Flames got the run back in the bottom of the frame as Roberts led off with a triple down the left field line and was driven home on a sacrifice bunt squeeze play by Aaron Stroosma to reclaim the three-run margin, 4-1.

WCU capped scoring in the sixth inning as freshman Brett Pope, who reached on a fielder's choice, took second on a Bradley Strong single before being driven home by Bermudez on his RBI single to make it 4-2. But that was as close as the Catamounts would get as Liberty's bullpen held the Catamounts to just two base runners over the final two and a third innings.

Catamount freshman starter Brendan Nail (1-1) struck out three against three walks in five innings of work. The Greensboro, N.C., native allowed four runs, only three of which were earned, on five hits. The loss was the first for WCU among Nail's four career starts to date.

For a second-straight day, freshman reliever Corey Sikes pitched against the Flames, fanning three in an inning of two-hit, scoreless relief. All told, the Monroe, N.C., product tallied a team-high seven K's in four innings of relief work in two appearances against Liberty. Sophomore Korey Anderson matched Nail and Sikes with three strikeouts among the four outs he recorded, limiting Liberty to just one hit.

WCU's pitchers combined to strand eight Liberty base runners in the loss.

Liberty starter Ashton Perritt (1-2) picked up the win for the home squad, scattering four hits and two earned runs over 5.2 innings. He countered a pair of walks with three strikeouts before handing the ball to reliever Caleb Evans who tossed two and a third out of the bullpen. Evans limited WCU to two base runners with a hit and a walk. Alex Close, who played the first eight innings at first base, struck out two in securing his first save of the season in tossing a perfect ninth inning.

Yacyk collected three hits to lead Liberty in a 3-for-4 outing with infielder Sammy Taormina reaching twice in a 2-for-4 performance with a double.

Western Carolina (7-9) returns home to host the Kennesaw State Owls at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium on Wednesday, March 18. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 pm.