ELON, NC – Jeremiah Boles cranked out four hits and Josh Hirt racked up four RBI as Liberty broke out for a 13-2 Big South Conference triumph over Elon Saturday afternoon at Latham Park, silencing a six-game losing streak.
The Flames (8-19 overall, 3-5 Big South) exploded to an early 5-1 lead after a five-run outburst in the second inning, and then added one run in the sixth frame, five in the eighth and two more in the ninth en route to their first road win in 12 trips this year. Liberty pounded out 18 hits, drew seven walks and capitalized on three Phoenix errors to hand Elon (19-11-1 overall, 6-1 Big South) its first league loss of the season and only its third setback overall in its last 14 games.
Liberty starter David Bechtold (2-2) allowed just one earned run on five hits and five walks in five innings while fanning seven Phoenix batters. The Flames chased Phoenix starter Luke Pangle (4-1) after one and 1/3 inning, touching him for five earned runs on six hits and one base on balls.
Elon rapped seven hits and drew eight free passes, but could only score once in the first inning and once in the eighth. The Phoenix struck out 13 times and stranded 14 baserunners to four strikeouts and 11 men left on for the Flames.
Boles (4-for-4, two runs, two RBI, BB), Hirt (2-for-4, run, four RBI, double, HR, SF), Larry Wayne York (2-for-4, run, RBI, two BB, double), Doug Bechtold (2-for-5, two runs, RBI, SF), Chad Bryan (2-for-5, run, RBI) and Erich Cloninger (2-for-3, two runs, two BB) all turned in multiple-hit performances for Liberty. Elon was led by Mike Fratoe (2-for-5, RBI), Holt Montgomery (2-for-2, run, double) and Paul Bennett (1-for-4, run, RBI, BB, SB).
With the setback, seventh-year Phoenix skipper Mike Kennedy’s career victory total remained at 196. The co-winningest coach in the 101-year-old history of Elon baseball, Kennedy slipped to 196-159-2 (.552) for his career.
He tied Robert McBee (196-131 in 1977-1984) for the program’s most coaching victories Friday night via a 14-4 win over Liberty in the series opener. The two teams meet again in the series’ rubber game at 1 p.m. Sunday at Latham Park.
— ELON — Game Box Score
