JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville University baseball dropped game one of the weekend series vs. Liberty 4-1 in 11 innings on Friday night at John Sessions Stadium.
The Flames pushed across three runs, all with two outs, in the 11th to down the Dolphins (21-20, 7-9).
"That was a heck of a ballgame, really well-pitched, well-defended," said Head Coach
Chris Hayes. "We had opportunities, we could have done a little more offensively.
"I was really pleased with the effort and how we competed."
Liberty threatened early and often, and scored the first run of the game in the second. After leaving a man on in the first, a leadoff single started the second, followed by a one-out walk. An infield single loaded the bases before a base hit to center plated the first run. Another runner slipped rounding third, but got up and tried to score anyway and was tagged out, before a strikeout stranded men at first and second.
It stayed 1-0 Flames until the seventh. JU loaded the bases in the fifth and left them that way, and got two men on again in the sixth with nothing to show for it. The seventh started with a double to right center by
Cory Garrastazu, followed by a ground ball to short off the bat of
Dakota Julylia that was mishandled allowing him to reach.
Cory Heffron went to bunt the runners over, but his perfect attempt down the third base line turned into a base hit to load the bases. After a strikeout,
Scott Dubrule lined a hot shot to third that was almost caught and was instead knocked down, allowing Liberty to get the force at second. They were unable to turn two and Garrastazu scored to tie it up at one.
Tyler Santana scattered six hits over seven innings in a productive start, before giving way to
Nick Love (3-2) in the eighth. Love sat down the Flames in order that inning, and allowed two men to reach in the ninth before stranding them.
He struck out the side in the 10th before getting some help from his defense to start the 11th. After a leadoff single put the go-ahead run on, a bunt attempt was popped foul behind the plate.
Jacob Southern caught it, then gunned out the runner at first for a double play. The next batter worked the count 3-2 before taking a close pitch at the bottom of the zone for ball four, cueing a string of three consecutive walks to load the bases and end Love's night.
Trent Palmer relieved him and induced a ground ball to third that glanced off the glove of
Angel Camacho into left to plate two runs. Another softly hit grounder, this time to short, resulted in an infield single to drive in another run and extend the lead to 4-1.
JU only managed one baserunner in the bottom half, and have now lost a season-high five straight games.
Game two of the series tomorrow starts at 7 p.m.
