March 19, 2009

Box Score

Lynchburg, Va. - Jeff Butler opened Lafayette's game against Liberty with a bang, belting a solo shot to right field to give his squad the early 1-0 lead. Unfortunately, that lead did not last long as Liberty combined for 10 runs over the first four innings and went on to an eventual 12-1 win over the Leopards.

Starter Corey Shea lasted six innings and gave up 10 of those 12 runs but only five were earned. Rookie Jeff Snell pitched the final two innings for Lafayette (7-7) and allowed two runs on five hits while striking out two. Justin Shepherd went 2-for-4 at the plate as he combined with Butler for all three of Lafayette's hits.

Shea gave up just one run in the bottom of the first but the Flames (12-5) tagged him for three runs in the second and five in the third. The big blow in the third inning came off the bat of Tyler Bream, who knocked a bases-loaded double down the left field line to drive in the three base runners.

All five runs in the five-run third inning were unearned, however, as two Lafayette errors led to those runs.

The score remained 10-1 until Liberty tacked on another run in the seventh inning when Casey Brown singled to second base to drive in Kizuku Scott, who had reached on an infield single earlier in the inning.

Snell gave up another solo run in the eighth when Nathan Thompson hit a one-out homer to left center for the Flames' 12th run and 16th hit in the game.

The Leopards wrap-up their spring break trip with a three-game series at Longwood beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday.