What’s better than opening day? A Liberty 10-run shutout of Quinnipiac at home on opening day is better. The first step on the Road to Omaha was a decisive and successful one. Notes from the game:
- RHP Cole Hertzler made his first start, and it was a very good one. He ended with the win with 6 IP, 5 hits, 0 walks, 0 runs, and 7 K. Of his 11 outs that weren’t by strikeout, 8 were ground outs (including 1 GDP) and 3 were fly outs. It should go without saying that keeping the ball on the ground with a good infield defense is going to win a bunch of games. Also, 6 of 7 strike outs were swinging strike outs. Only three base runners reached scoring position against him. His fastball started out around 93 mph and was sitting around 90 mph by the 6th inning. His slider was absolutely filthy and made the Quinnipiac hitters look foolish at times.
- RHP Brandon Dahlman relieved Hertzler in the 7th inning with a 10-run lead. He mixed in 2 Ks with a couple well-hit balls to left field. One fell out of LF Noah Rabon’s glove on what would have been an amazing play, but he could not quite make the diving catch. His pitches have elite spin and movement, but his fastball topped out around 90 mph.
- RHP Ben Roberts came on in the 8th inning. His fastball was consistently 95 mph, and I think it touched 96. He gave up no hits but did walk one. His three outs came on a couple of weak grounders and a pop up to 1B Brian McClellin. His control has improved significantly from the first time I saw him pitch in a scrimmage. Look for his velocity to increase even more as the temperatures increase.
- RHP Dylan Mathiesen finished the game. He also has elite spin and movement. His fastball was consistent at 91-92 with it topping out at 94. He struck out the side with 2 swinging strike outs and 1 looking. The Quinnipiac hitters were baffled against him. This is the kind of outing that Hertzler and Hudson turned into regular appearances last year.
- On the hitting side of things, RF Camden Troyer was the star of the game. In 5 AB, he had 3 hits with a double and a home run, 3 runs, and 3 RBI. He looks like he has added 10 pounds of muscle (as does many Liberty players). He certainly made the most of hitting in the middle of the lineup with runners on base in front of him.
- 3B Cam Foster also had a very good night. He had a hit in 3 AB with 1 R and 2 RBI. Most interestingly in his stat line is a zero–zero strike outs. He also had 2 BB. In the first half last year, Foster had an unsightly strike out rate. He greatly reduced his strike outs in the second half, which at least for one game appears to have continued into this season.
- 2B Aidan Sweatt’s first game in a Liberty uniform was exactly what we expected–3 AB, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, and 0 K. He was constantly on base and pressuring the opposing pitchers and defense.
- Todd Hudson got the start at DH, and immediately returned dividends. He had 3 AB, 2 H, 1 R, 3 RBI, and a 1 BB. One of those hits though was a gargantuan blast to right field that the outfielders didn’t even chase to the wall. His exit velocities are elite. I wish we had the Trackman data for that shot.
- CF Kane Kepley and LF Noah Rabon, hitting in the leadoff and #3 spots respectively, each got on base twice. The top of the Flames lineup got on base 8 times, which is going to be a problem for opposing teams.
- SS Tanner Marsh and C Macaddin Dye each had a hit in their debuts. Not bad for freshmen. Dye even added 2 HBP.
- Defensively, Liberty had no miscues at all. Sweatt started a nifty double play. He fielded the ball cleanly and flipped with a backhand toss right on the money to Marsh.
- Marsh caught the flip and turned the double play with a runner bearing down on him. He stepped out of the base line to his left and made a strong throw to first. Nice play on both sides.
- LF Rabon almost made an unbelievable play in the 7th inning. As mentioned above, a batter hit a opposite field shot down the left field line off of Dahlman. Rabon was shading the batter toward center field. Just to get to the ball, he covered a huge amount of ground. He had to jump up and back to get a glove on the ball, but he could not secure the catch.
- Lastly, Liberty had the first Fan vs The Flash race around the warning track. The Flash started on the left field line with the fan starting in left center field. The fan wasn’t close on this day. Troyer seemed to enjoy the race at least.
