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Umberger Shuts Down Great Danes in 5-1 Game One Victory
Dustin Umberger pitched seven scoreless innings in Liberty's game one win Saturday
February 24, 2007
Lynchburg, Va.
Liberty right-hander Dustin Umberger held Albany scoreless over seven innings as the Liberty Flames defeated the Great Danes, 5-1, in game one of a Saturday afternoon doubleheader at Worthington Stadium.
Liberty improves to 5-3 on the season. Albany falls to 0-4 in the early going.
Umberger (So., Hummelstown, Pa.) scattered five hits in seven innings of work to run his mark to 2-1 on the season. The right-handed struck out four and walked one in his second solid outing of the year. Last Saturday, Umberger picked up his first win in a two-hit, seven inning effort over The Citadel at the Crab House Shootout in Charleston, S.C.
After a scoreless first two innings, Liberty struck for the only runs they needed in the first game of the doubleheader in the third. With one out, Errol Hollinger (So., C, Upland, Calif.) walked and later scored the Flames first run on a double down the left field line by Kenneth Negron (So., Kingwood, Tex.). The left fielder then swiped third base and was promptly singled home by Phil John (Sr., RF, Linwood, N.J.) to give Liberty a 2-0 advantage.
The Flames added to their lead in the next inning by plating three more runs in the third with two outs. Shawn Teufel (So.,1B, Tequesta, Fla.) and Aaron Phillips (Jr., 2B, Claremore, Okla.) both singled. Hollinger then singled sharply to score Tuefel. Phillips also came home on the play as the Albany left fielder over ran the ball, allowing the second baseman to tally another Liberty run. Negron followed with a RBI single for a 5-0 lead.
Albany avoided the shutout with a run in the eighth. The first two Great Dane batters of the inning walked. After a strike out, catcher Tom Hill singled to center to score a run. Later in the frame with runners at the corners and two outs, Ryan Page (Jr., Cranberry Twp., Pa.) was summoned from the bullpen and quelled the rally by getting the next hitter to ground out.
In the ninth, Page set down Albany in order to earn his second save in as many attempts.
Negron was 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored in the contest. John and Phillips each had two hits for the Flames. Center fielder Dave West had two of the Great Danes’ six hits in game one.
Liberty Uses Five-Run Second for Game Two Win and Series Sweep of Albany, 7-5
February 24, 2007
Lynchburg, Va.
The Liberty Flames plated five runs in the second inning and never looked back in downing the Albany Great Danes, 7-5, in game two to sweep a doubleheader Saturday at Worthington Stadium.
With the victory, the Flames improve to 6-3 and sweep the three-game series with Albany. Liberty has now won five straight contests, while the Great Danes fall to 0-5.
Albany took a 1-0 lead in its half of the second inning. Catcher Tom Hill beat out an infield single to third and advanced to second base as designated hitter Chris Wood was hit by a pitch. The two runners then executed a double steal to put runners on second and third with one out. A RBI ground out by Tom Zink plated the game’s first run.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Flames sent nine men and took advantage of two Albany miscues to the plate to jumping to a 5-1 advantage. Liberty loaded the bases to open the frame. Cody Brown (R-So, 1B, Boca Raton, Fla..) singled, Aaron Grijalva (R-Jr., DH, Redlands, Calif.) walked, and P.K. Keller (Jr., RF, Clearwater, Fla.) singled to fill the sacks with Flames. On a wild pitch, Brown raced home with the Flames first run. Grijalva then scored as a grounder by Tommy Bussey (So., 2B, Boynton Beach, Fla.) which was mishandled by the third baseman.
Later in the frame, Keller came home on an error by the shortstop on a fielder’s choice grounder by Patrick Gaillard (Sr., SS, Taylors, S.C.) for a 3-0 lead. David Giammaresi (R-Jr., 3B, Coral Springs, Fla.) followed by slamming a double into the right-center field gap to chase home two more runs and put the Flames up, 5-1.
The Great Danes cut the Liberty lead to 5-3 in the fourth. Hill doubled to right-center field with one out and advanced to third on a fly out. The catcher then scored on a wild pitch. The next batter, Wood then hit a solo home run down the left field line.
The teams exchanged runs in the fifth inning. Phil Marchese plated the Albany run by leading off the top of the frame with a single and then came all the away around on an error by the right fielder on next hitter Al Barbato’s single. Liberty score when Negron was hit by a pitch and worked his way around the bases to tally a run on a double play.
Trailing 6-4 in the seventh, a home run by Albany first baseman Scott Sayre made it, 6-5 Flames. However, Liberty extended it advantage back to 7-5 in the eighth as Phil John came home on a passed ball.
In the ninth, the Great Danes rallied to load the bases with two outs, but reliever Ryan Page (Jr., LHP, Cranberry Twp. Pa.) got the next batter to ground into a fielder’s choice for his second save of the afternoon and third on the season.
Giammaresi had two doubles as the only Liberty player with two hits in the contest. Hill and Sayre had two hits a piece for Albany.
Flames’ starter David Stokes (Jr., Locust Grove, Okla.) moved his record to 2-1 on the year. The right-hander allowed four runs on six hits and struck out four in five innings of work. Tim John worked 3 2/3 innings of relief, yielding one run on four hits and striking out three batters. Page faced two batters in picking up the save. Albany starter Cory Warrings took the loss to drop to 0-1 on the season.
Liberty travels across the Commonwealth of Virginia to Richmond, Va., on Tuesday to play its first midweek contest of the year against VCU . Game time is set for 4 p.m.
PA glad you enjoyed them. I am not expert on taking pics ny any means but figured somone would enjoy. There was a good crowd both days. Not real cold but breezy with the wind. Good to see Coach Tomlin still out there supporting the team.
- By ECC29
- By Purple Haize