High School Baseball: Lions Advance in Playoffs With Win Over South Carroll

Liberty behind junior Andrew Massey opened the Class 2A West region baseball playoffs with a 10-2 win over South Carroll Friday.

Massey pitched six strong innings allowing three hits while giving up one run. He struck out eight Cavaliers and walked none. He did hit a batter with a pitch.

"We executed very well defensively expect for a little slow roller that hopped on him. Other than that we played a clean game," said Lion coach Erik Barnes.

The Lions improve to 13-6 on the season and travel to North Hagerstown Monday. The Cavaliers end the season at 4-14. It was the third time this season, Liberty defeated South Carroll.

"We just didn’t get timely hits. That’s the way it has been course of the season," said South Carroll coach George Richardson III.

Liberty scored seven of their runs off the long ball. Massey was part of the that also, as he stroked a home run in the bottom of the first inning. D. J. Bennett slugged a three-run homer to left center in the third inning.

"Andrew, he controlled the game today. He set the tone with the home run early. He kind of gave us a little breathing room. The other guys followed suit," said Barnes.

Sean Naylor joined the home run hitters with a first pitch two-home blast in the fourth inning. The score at that time stood at 7-1, as the Cavaliers had scored in the top of the fourth.

"They got three timely hits. Three home runs. That was seven of their runs, right there on those three hits," said Richardson. The Lions put the game away with three runs in the fifth inning, with the big blow a single by Greg Wheatley that drove in two runs. Wheatley also pitched the seventh for Liberty. He allowed one run before getting the third out to end the game.

Senior Jake Smith took the loss for South Carroll, but had a good day with the bat as he got two of the three hits off Massey. Tyler Thren and Nick Bullock ah the other hits in the game for the Cavaliers.

"We get the bases loaded and a double play. Say that ball is three feet either way and that might be a base hit up the middle and score two runs," said Richardson.

Liberty had six players with two hits each. Getting the hits were Naylor, Massey, Bennett, Wheatley, Todd Fletcher and Tim Anderson. Brandon Price had a single that drove in a run for the Lions.