DeLAND, Fla. - Liberty (38-18) took a 3-0 lead in the first that UNF (31-24) erased with a three-run fifth, but the Flames responded with a big two-out base knock and a strong showing in the pen to take the 2019 ASUN Championship Opening Round affair Wednesday, May 22, from Melching Field at Conrad Park.

Fifth-seeded UNF faces one-seeded FGCU in an elimination game tomorrow at 11 a.m.

Liberty 6, UNF 4

Pitchers of Record
Win: Andrew McInvale (9-2)
Loss: Brad Deppermann (6-5)
Save: Evan Brabrand (12)

Line Scores
UNF | 4 R, 6 H, 2 E, 4 LOB
Liberty | 6 R, 9 H, E, 10 LOB

Behind the Line Score

• Liberty jumped ahead in the first, 3-0. Gray Betts worked a walk after seeing 10 pitches and Jonathan Embry rolled a base hit through the right side. Brad Deppermann came back from down 3-0 to Logan Mathieu to get it back to 3-2, but Mathieu took a fastball just over Tanner May's head for an RBI single. Will Wagner got jammed on a 2-2 delivery but flared an RBI single, scoring Embry. Cam Locklear scored Mathieu with a sac fly to right center.
• After the Flames loaded the bags in the second, Deppermann settled in two strike out consecutive batters and get Wagner to fly out to Blake Marabell in left.
• UNF got on the board in the fifth. Alex Reynolds coaxed a one-out walk and Tanner May was grazed by an inside fastball. Austin Hurwitz went down swinging but Chris Berry roped an RBI single on a 3-2 curveball, scoring Reynolds. One batter later and again on a 3-2 count, Tanner Murphy skied a fly ball to left center that was lost by the Liberty outfield, allowing Murphy to drive in two with a two-RBI triple.
• Liberty worked two two-out runs to take a 5-3 lead in the fifth, sending UNF to the bullpen. Wagner laced a single just over a leaping Jay Prather. Ben Highfill was fanned before Locklear worked a walk. After stolen bases put runners at second and third, Tyler Galazin muscled a two-RBI single up the middle.
• UNF cut the deficit to 5-4 in the seventh. Reynolds rolled an infield single up the middle before Tanner May doubled off the wall in left. After a strikeout, Berry scored Reynolds with an RBI groundout.
• Liberty tacked on an insurance run in the eighth. Betts reached on a fielding error and was bunted to second before moving to third on a passed ball. Mathieu scored him with a deep sac fly to the warning track in center.
• Brabrand retired each batter he faced in the eighth and ninth to earn his 12th save of the season

Statistical Leaders
UNF

• Berry | 2-for-4, R, 2 RBI
• Reynolds | 1-for-3, 2 R, BB
• Murphy | 1-for-4, 2 RBI, 3B
• May | 2-for-3, R

Liberty

• Galazin | 1-for-4, 2 RBI
• Mathieu | 1-for-4, R, 2 RBI
• Wagner | 2-for-5, R, RBI
• Rohrer | 2-for-3
• Brabrand | 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, K

Notes

• It was the first matchup between Liberty and UNF at a neutral site.
• Wednesday was Liberty's first appearance in the ASUN Championship.
• Deppermann started and worked 4.2 innings, fanning four. With that start, Deppermann tied the UNF DI single season games started record, tied the DI single season strikeouts record and set the single season innings pitched mark.
• Murphy notched his second triple of the year, tying Berry for the team lead.
• UNF is 3-7 all-time against Liberty.
• UNF is 15-21 all-time in the ASUN Championship.

Up Next
Five-seeded North Florida will face one-seeded FGCU in an elimination game tomorrow at 11 a.m.