Big third inning helps Flames get even in series with Coastal

By Chris Lang

Published: March 29, 2008

Lately, Liberty’s batting practices have been filled with situational hitting drills. Two strikes? Keep fighting until you can find something you can put into play. That’s been a major issue of late for a Flames team that has made a habit out of stranding baserunners in clutch situations.
LU freshman Jeff Jefferson remembered the drills Saturday afternoon at Worthington Stadium. With two outs and the bases loaded in the third inning, Jefferson put enough bat on an inside pitch to loft it to the outfield. Two runs scored, and the floodgates opened.
The Flames scored five runs with two outs in the third and another run with two down in the eighth, and the clutch hitting was enough to boost Liberty to a 9-6 win over No. 20 Coastal Carolina.
“I didn’t even hit it very well, I just found a hole,” Jefferson said. “We’ve been working a lot on two-strike hitting, having a better approach, not letting them in. Just fighting a lot off.”
Liberty (12-11, 1-1 Big South) held off a fierce Coastal rally in the top of the ninth to seal the victory, giving the Flames a chance for a series win today at 1 p.m. The Chanticleers (20-6, 1-1) loaded the bases with nobody out, but Flames reliever Dane Beakler managed to escape, allowing only a sacrifice fly to David Sappelt.
Beakler retired Coastal’s No. 3 hitter, Dock Doyle, with runners on second and third to end the game. Doyle, a .375 hitter who leads the Chanticleers with eight home runs and 28 RBIs, fouled out to Liberty first baseman David Giammaresi. Doyle hit a home run in the seventh, so the Flames were keenly aware of just how dangerous a hitter he was.
“In that kind of situation, a lot of guys try to be a hero and try to get one out of the park and tie the game up,” Liberty catcher Errol Hollinger said. “All we were giving him was off-speed away, nothing he was going to be to just turn and rip. He tried, and he put it right up to Giammaresi at first.”
Liberty rode weary starter Clarence Nicely for six innings and won despite allowing 10 walks and 15 hits. Nicely, an Auburn transfer, struggled with his fastball command early but finally settled down late. He struck out Sappelt and Adam Rice to end the sixth, the final pitch to Rice his 128th of the afternoon.
“We were going to take him out after four when he was at about 90, but then he actually started getting guys out,” Liberty coach Jim Toman said. “So we were like, ‘maybe we can milk another inning from him.’ And we did. All of a sudden we were in the sixth, and we were like, ‘we can get one more out of him.’ He didn’t have great stuff, but he competed there and finally started throwing a nice breaking ball for strikes.”
The Flames have won only one series against Coastal since 2001, taking two of three at home in 2006. Despite Liberty’s struggles of late — before Saturday, it had lost 11 of 17 after a 5-0 start — a victory today for a series win against a nationally ranked conference opponent could signal a turn of fortunes.
“We’ve got a rivalry against Coastal,“ Hollinger said. “They’re (20th) in the nation and we haven’t been playing well. (Saturday’s win) is the kind of thing that could kickstart the team into gelling together and competing.”
BASE HITS: Toman wouldn’t commit to a starting pitcher for today’s finale but said Ryan Page (0-2, 5.21 ERA) is a strong possibility. … OF Aaron Grijalva, who hurt his groin trying to field a double in Friday night’s series opener, is out for at least the next week, Toman said. … Coastal stranded 15 baserunners. … Despite cool, windy conditions, Saturday’s attendance was 1,618. In 32 home games last season, the Flames never drew more than 1,000 for a game. They’ve drawn 4,801 for the first two games of this series.