The Liberty Flames captured a decisive 10‑4 victory over Sam Houston State in the 2026 CUSA Baseball Championship, advancing to the semifinal round and keeping their title hopes alive.
The pivotal moments arrived in the sixth and ninth innings, when Kyle Hvidsten launched a three‑run homer to center field and Nick Barone followed with a matching blast to left, extending the lead and energizing the crowd.
Veteran right‑hander Ben Blair turned in six solid innings, striking out four batters and earning his seventh win of the season, a testament to his CUSA Pitcher of the Year pedigree.
Closer Cooper Harrington sealed the game with his 12th save of the year, preserving the lead as the Flames' defense tightened in the final frames.
A late surge proves decisive
Looking ahead, Liberty is slated to meet the Bulldogs on Friday at 10 a.m. ET, wrapping up pool B play before the knockout stage, where they will aim to extend their championship run.
The combination of timely power hitting and reliable pitching underscores Liberty's depth as they head into the next round, where they will look to translate this momentum into another dominant performance.