The 2026 CUSA Baseball Championship opened with a clash between the second‑seeded Liberty Flames and the eighth‑seeded Sam Houston Bearkats, a game that ended 10‑4 in favor of Liberty.
Liberty pulled away with a four‑run sixth inning, highlighted by a three‑run home run from Nick Barone in the ninth that capped the scoring. Ben Blair earned the win on the mound, showcasing his 2026 CUSA Pitcher of the Year form.
The offensive onslaught featured multiple contributors: Barone and Jordan Jaffe each collected three hits, while Landon Scilley added two RBI singles and scored twice. Tanner Marsh also logged two hits and a run, extending his team‑leading multi‑hit streak.
On the mound, Blair notched his 242nd career strikeout, tying Tim Harrell for third on Liberty’s all‑time list, and reliever Cooper Harrington recorded his 12th save of the season.
A Milestone Within Reach
With the victory, the Flames advance to the semifinals and are one win away from joining the ranks of the program’s most successful teams, those that have reached 40 career wins. Their next opponent will be the fifth‑seeded Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in tomorrow’s Pool B finale.