[PAmedic]

holy crap, AG. I don't think everyone saw that. Let me help you out!

Nice win. JMU was ranked in the top 25 at one point. I will say it now, in print, for those who know my rant about the schedule NOT prepping us for this time of year:
I
WAS
WRONG.

[PAmedic]

Laurent Paces Flames as Liberty Wins Ninth-Straight

April 11, 2006 · Lynchburg, Va.

Box Score Note:
For game box score, click “Team Stats” link on the right-hand navigation bar as all season box scores are listed on this link.

Phillip Laurent went 5-for-5 with three RBI and the Liberty Flames, trailing
9-4, scored six runs in the eighth inning to defeat the James Madison Dukes, 12-11, Tuesday afternoon at Worthington Stadium for their ninth-straight win.

Liberty is now 26-8 on the season, while James Madison falls to 22-13. It is the second time this season; the Flames have won nine-straight contests. The streak ties the school record for Division I consecutive wins as the 1985 and 1995 teams also had nine-game winning streaks. Liberty also entered the day with the nation’s fourth longest current winning streak.

The teams each scored runs in the game’s opening inning. The Dukes plated a run on a lead off home run by second baseman Michael Cowgill, while the Flames came back to knot the score at 1-1 on a RBI single by Laurent (Sr., LF, Cantrall, Ill.).

In the top of the second, James Madison went on top with two runs on Cowgill two-out RBI double. The Flames came back and matched in the bottom of the inning as Phil John (Jr., RF, Linwood, N.J.) had a RBI single and Tim Nanry (Jr., DH, Rochester, N.Y.) grounded into a fielder’s choice allowing a run to score.

The Dukes took an 8-3 lead in the third with five runs in the inning. First baseman Nate Schill led off the frame with a solo home run. With two outs, Brett Garner singled and Matt Bristow would be hit by a pitch. Shortstop Rob Altieri then doubled down the left field line to score third baseman Garner. Cowgill followed with his second home run of the day, a three-run shot to over the left field wall.

James Madison added another in the fourth inning on Schill’s second home run of the afternoon, another solo round tripper, to put the Dukes up, 9-3.

Liberty began its come back in the sixth with a single run. Laurent opened the frame with a double and scored on a double by Aaron Grijalva (r-So., 1B, Redlands, Calif.).

In the seventh, the Flames cut the lead to 9-6. With two outs, Chad Miller (Sr., 3B, Wheat Ridge, Colo.) walked and scored on a triple to the right field corner by Michael Just (Sr., 2B, Woodcliff Lake, N.J.). Laurent then chased Just home with a single.

James Madison loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the eighth, but was only able to add one run to extend its lead to 10-6. Ryan Page (So., LHP, Cranbury Twp. Pa.) entered the game with the base full and shut down the Dukes as a fielder’s choice produced the inning’s only run.

In the bottom of the inning, Liberty batted around, scoring six runs to take a 12-10 lead. After loading the bases with one out, Patrick Gaillard (Jr., SS, Taylors, S.C.) doubled down the left field line to plate two Flames. David Giammaresi (So., 3B, Coral Springs, Fla.), who came into the game at third base in the top of the eighth, followed with a sacrifice fly to score another run and cut the advantage to 10-9. Two batters later, Laurent delivered again with a single to left to score Gaillard to tie the game. Just, who had been hit by a pitch, then scored on a wild pitch as Liberty took its first lead of the afternoon. Laurent then scored on a RBI single by Grijalva.

In the ninth, back-to-back doubles to start the inning by Dan Santobianco and Garner cut the Liberty advantage to 12-11. Tim John (Jr., RHP, Linwood, N.J.) then relieved and after a sacrifice bunt moved the runner to third, retired the next two batters to close out the victory.

The Flames used five pitchers on the afternoon as Page, the fourth, upped his record to 6-1 on the season, allowing one run on two hits in one inning of relief. Tim John came on the ninth and retired all three batters he faced to earn his second save of the season. Geoff Degener, one of six pitchers on the day for the Dukes, took the loss to fall to 0-2 on the year.

Laurent had his second perfect day at the plate this season as the Flames’ left fielder was 4-fo-4 earlier this season at George Washington. Grijalva was the other Flame with two hits on the day. Cowgill went 4-for-5 with six RBI, two home runs and two doubles on the day on the day for James Madison. Schill had three hits including the two home runs, while teammates Garner with three hits and Altieri with four hits also had multiple hit games for the Dukes.

The Flames step back into Big South Conference play with a road series this weekend at Charleston Southern. The three-game series begins Friday at 3 p.m. with a single game, followed by a Saturday doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.

Phillip Laurent went 5-for-5 with 3 RBI
as the Flames came from behind
to defeat James Madison Tuesday afternoon.

[Stevev]

I too had a problem with the schedule early on but at this point it doesn't really matter.

[PAmedic]

1. are we going to get any looks/votes in the rankings any time soon
2. Does Laurent get POW for this one?

[PAmedic]

http://newsadvance.com/servlet/Satellit ... th=!sports

LU rallies for 12-11 win over JMU

By Chris Lang
Lynchburg News & Advance
April 12, 2006

Liberty reliever Tim John was well aware of the day Michael Cowgill was having Tuesday.
In the James Madison senior's first four at-bats, he homered twice, doubled twice and drove in six runs.

Still, as Cowgill came to the plate with two outs in the top of the ninth, one thought flashed through John's mind.

"He's feeling the pressure as much as I am," John said.

With that in mind, John finished Cowgill in three pitches and clinched a 12-11 nailbiter for the Flames. Liberty (26-8) battled back from six runs down to claim its ninth straight victory.

And the John vs. Cowgill battle was center stage.

After getting ahead in the count 0-1, John threw a breaking ball that Cowgill flailed at. On the third pitch, John jammed Cowgill inside and forced him to foul out to first baseman Aaron Grijalva, stranding the potential tying run at third base.

"I really had the opportunity to throw the pitch I wanted to throw in the place I wanted to throw it," John said. "He has to come hit my pitch now. That swings the whole momentum in that at-bat there."

Liberty, which lost 10-5 to JMU in Harrisonburg on March 1, survived a typical mid-week college baseball battle. Both teams scraped at the bottom of their pitching staffs for innings, electing to save their top starters for and important weekend conference series.

JMU's Kurt Houck, who entered the game with a 6.52 ERA, proved serviceable, allowing five hits and three runs in five innings as the Dukes (22-13) opened a 9-3 lead.

JMU did most of its damage against Liberty reliever Billy Daniels, who allowed three earned runs in his first eight appearances but was torched for six runs in two innings Tuesday.

McFarland said he thought his team started to coast after taking the big lead.

"I think after Cowgill hit that big-time home run (in JMU's five-run third inning), I think our swings changed," McFarland said. "We started thinking big ball instead of good swings. We sat on our lead."

Liberty continued to battle and chipped the lead to 10-6 by the seventh. A rally still didn't seem likely. P.K. Keller struck out to open the eighth on a wild pitch that got past JMU catcher Dan Santobianco. Keller reached base, giving LU the spark it needed.

"We were like, 'all right, something good is going on,'" said Flames outfielder Phillip Laurent, who went 5-for-5, drove in three runs and scored the eventual winning run.

Patrick Gaillard hit a bases-loaded double, David Giammaresi hit a sac fly and Laurent and Grijalva hit run-scoring singles as LU scored six times in the eighth. Michael Just scored the tiebreaking run from third on a Nate Schill wild pitch.

"This is the best character group of guys we've had here in my four years," Laurent said. "I have faith in everybody out there. I think that's why we pulled it off today."

Laurent, who has flip-flopped in the order with Grijalva, hit cleanup Tuesday and had his best hitting day of the season. He had only one multi-hit game in his last nine, and his average had dipped from a season-high .405 on March 19 to .341 before Tuesday's game.

"To be honest, I was pressing a little this last weekend," Laurent said. "But this was a new week, I was just going to clear my head and relax and go up and hit and get things moving again."

[A.G.]

Thanks for having my back, Medic. Guess it comes down to this--would I rather have a coach with Personality Deficit Disorder (who wins), or a charismatic coach that doesn't!

[bigsmooth]

great win by the guys. pivotal series this weekend. let's get em!

[PAmedic]

Thanks for having my back, Medic.

I had to make it big so those w/ old eyes (SLY, SCAR) could read it.

like the Reader's Digest Big Print edition my grandma gets

[Number1inda'hoodG]

In response to the Player of the Week and Top 25 nominations:

1.) Nine wins in a row is quite an accomplishment, ties the school's D-I record in fact. As far as top 25 votes go I wouldn't hold my breath considering our strength of schedule pitted against teams like USC, Texas, and others. Yes, another Big South school in Winthrop is in the top 25, but barely, and that's with an RPI of NINE coming into the season.

2.) Phil Laurent had a great day against JMU, and 5-for-5 with three RBI's is certainly nothing to scoff at. However, we do need to remember that as far as being nominated for player of the week goes, Laurent will need to continue to hit well throughout the weekend against Charleston Southern; hence the name of the award: Player of the week.

And after all, where is the glory in winning player of the week? It's not like they even give you a coupon for a free icedream to Chick-fil-a for winning the thing. All you get is a press release online that says you had a good week.

So to sum it up, I wouldn't sweat it. Those that are important know how good Phil is on a consistent basis, (after all he is hitting .366 with 39 RBI's for the year!) and those that don't will find out next month in Conway, perhaps even in the NCAA Regionals.

[Sly Fox]

Strong first post and I love the moniker.

Now Player of the Year is a different matter. You get something to hang on your mantle.

[BJWilliams]

Word G that be some great points about Laurent yo

[givemethemic]

Word G bringing the hood to Liberty Mountian... very nicely done