Chronology Division II level as an associate member. September 1, 1989 The Flames post their second 30-plus win All of Liberty's athletic teams move to the season. Richard DeWitt is named the NCAA Division I level. school's first GTE/CoSida Academic All- American. 1989 Tony Beasley and Doug Reynolds are 1981 drafted by the Baltimore Orioles. Jamey Liberty Baptist joins the NCAA at the Mason is drafted by the California Angels Division II level and becomes eligible for but opts to return for the 1990 season. NAIA postseason competition. The team finishes fifth in the NAIA World Series. Sid May 1990 Bream earned All-American honors. Johnny Hunton becomes Liberty's third Bream and Lee Guetterman are drafted, head baseball coach, replacing Bobby Bream by the Los Angeles Dodgers and Richardson. Guetterman by the Seattle Mariners. June 1990 1982 Todd Samples is drafted by the Montreal The Flames finish fifth in the NAIA World Expos, while Frank Speek is drafted by the Series for the second-consecutive year. St. Louis Cardinals. Sid Bream Renard Brown is selected as an All- American and drafted by the Seattle 1991 1971 Mariners. Doug Smith is drafted by the Doug Brady is drafted by the Chicago Lynchburg Baptist College is founded by Minnesota Twins. White Sox. Dr. Jerry Falwell, pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church. 1983 May 1991 Sid Bream becomes the first former Brady is chosen All-South Atlantic Region 1972 Liberty baseball player to break into the and to the ECAC All-Star team. Chris Lynchburg Baptist gains affiliation with the major leagues with the Los Angeles Robbins is chosen to the Virginia All-State National Christian Collegiate Association. Dodgers. Liberty Baptist finishes fifth in team. Head Coach Johnny Hunton is the NAIA World Series for the third-con- named the Virginia State Coach of the 1973 secutive season. Darrell Manuel earns All- Year by the Virginia Sports Information Lynchburg Baptist fields its first club base- American honors. Liberty Baptist finishes Directors. ball team, coached by Gaylord Davis. The with a 40-plus win season, the first year to team practices at Miller Park and do so. July 1, 1991 Sandusky Elementary School. The games Liberty becomes an official member of the are held at Lynchburg City Stadium. 1984 Big South Conference. Liberty drops its NAIA membership and 1974 becomes eligible for NCAA Division II May 1992 Lynchburg Baptist fields its first intercolle- postseason participation. Baseball moves Danny Brahn becomes the first Liberty giate varsity team, coached by Al from NAIA to NCAA Division I, the only player to earn Big South All-Conference Worthington. sport at the school to make the move to first team honors. Division I in 1984. 1975 May 1993 Lynchburg Baptist College is renamed 1985 Liberty University wins the Big South Liberty Baptist College with the colors Liberty Baptist College becomes Liberty Conference Baseball Tournament and changing from Green and Gold to Red, University. becomes the school's first NCAA Division I White and Blue. The Flames join the team to see action in the postseason. National Association of Intercollegiate May 1986 Athletics as an associate member. Bobby Richardson becomes Liberty's sec- ond head baseball coach, replacing Al 1976 Worthington who started the program. Clay Elliott and Jeff Mincey are the first Flames to be drafted. Elliott is picked by 1986 the Atlanta Braves and Mincey by the Liberty Field is renamed Worthington Field Pittsburgh Pirates. The Flames post their in honor of the school's first baseball first 30-win season, finishing 31-10. coach, Al Worthington. Pat Sipe and Niles Creekmore sign free agent contracts with 1978 the Montreal Expos. Bernie Young signs a free agent contract with the Chicago White Sox. 1987 Clint Horsley is drafted by the St. Louis 1979 Cardinals. The Flames move to Liberty Field, their first on-campus home. 1988 Randy Tomlin is drafted by the Pittsburgh 1980 Pirates. Doug Smith Liberty Baptist joins the NCAA at the 60 Liberty Flames Baseball Chronology June 1998 2002 The Flames have five players drafted in On July 18, Matt Royer is named the pro- the major league draft, tying Arizona State gram’s fifth head coach. Royer, a 1980 and Florida State with the most players Liberty graduate, replaces Dave Pastors, drafted from one team. David Benham who resigned at the end of the 2002 sea- (12th, Boston Red Sox), Steve Wright son. Five Flames; Joey Monahan (Chicago (17th, Seattle Mariners), Tim Harrell (20th, Cubs-7th round), Keith Butler (Chicago Los Angeles Dodgers), Benji Miller (21st, Cubs-10th round), Matt Hagen (Seattle San Francisco Giants) and Jason Benham Mariners-12th round), Jonathan Schneider (37th, Baltimore Orioles) are Liberty’s (Pittsburgh Pirates-15th round) and Steve draftees. David Dalton signs a free agent Baker (San Diego Padres-29th round); are contract with the Chilicothe Paints of the chosen in the 2002 MLB Draft. Frontier Independent League. 2003 September 1998 Two Flames; Larry Wayne York (Montreal Atlanta Braves sign David Dalton to a free Expos-14th round) and Erich Cloninger agent contract for the 1999 season. (Boston Red Sox- 35th round) are chosen in the 2003 MLB Draft. Tim Harrell 1999 During the summer of 1999, a 5,200 2004 square-foot hitting area is constructed Jason Jones is chosen in the fourth round June 1993 along the leftfield side of Worthington of the 2004 MLB Draft by the New York Rich Humphrey is drafted by the Houston Stadium. It is complete with lighted bat- Yankees. Astros. ting cages and modern hitting equipment. The field receives a face-lift as new 2005 June 1994 Bermuda grass is laid in the infield. During The Flames post the ninth 30-plus win sea- Terry Weaver is drafted in the 23rd round the winter, a new netting backstop is put son in program history and tie the pro- by the Cincinnati Reds. in place and a new sound system is pur- gram record for Division I victories with chased for the stadium. 36. Aaron Grijalva becomes Liberty’s third June 1995 Freshman All-America as he is honored by Terry Weaver is drafted by the San 2000 Collegiate Baseball. Left-hander David Francisco Giants and Jason Baker signs The Flames win the Big South Bechtold (Colorado-28th) is chosen in the with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Championship for the second time in three 2005 MLB Draft. years and the third time in the history of June 1996 the program. Liberty represents the Big 2006 Danny Hodges is drafted by the Chicago South Conference at the NCAA Regionals Matt Royer’s squad breaks the school Cubs in Columbia, S.C., where they won the first record for Division I wins with 39 victories. NCAA Division I Tournament game for any It marks the fourth time in program history October 1996 Liberty sports team; over Seton Hall, 10-2. the Flames have posted back-to-back 30- Liberty University announces plans to In June, senior Brian Adams is drafted in plus win seasons after their 36 in 2005. build a baseball clubhouse adjacent to the the eighth round by the Boston Red Sox Liberty right-hander Michael Solbach third base dugout. This will be equipped while junior Dan Valentin is selected in the (Arizona-48th) is chosen in the 2006 MLB with a locker room and a concession area. 31st round by the Oakland Athletics. Draft. Liberty's Keith Butler and Joey Monahan June 1997 become Liberty's first Freshman All- David Benham is drafted in the 41st round Americans, achieving the honors given out by the New York Mets by Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball. August 1997 Liberty announces that long-time assistant 2001 (Fall) coach Dave Pastors will become the fourth Liberty baseball opens its brand new, head coach in the school’s history. Former state-of-the-art, Crowder/Muckel Flame standout Jeff Edwards is named as Fieldhouse. The 13,000-square foot build- his first assistant. ing contains two retractable batting and pitching tunnels; home, visitor, coach and September 1997 umpire locker rooms; uniform laundry and Former Flames pitcher and major leaguer, storage room, training room, weight room Randy Tomlin is named to the second and team room. The new fieldhouse is assistant coaching position. also home to new offices for the Liberty coaching staff and houses enclosed box May 10, 1998 seats for booster club members, complete Liberty wins the Big South Conference with a kitchen area and closed-circuit tele- Tournament in Rock Hill, S.C. The Flames vision. represent the conference in the Atlantic II Regional Tournament in Tallahassee, Fla., facing #10 Florida State (7-10) and #8 Keith Butler Auburn (2-3). Liberty Flames Baseball 61 Individual Records Games Total Bases Season: 61, Jason Benham; 1998 Game: 16, Sid Bream vs. Penn State- Careeer: 223, Steve Baker; 1999-02 Behrend; 5/23/81 NCAA Division I Record: 15, Matt Hagan At Bats vs. Coastal Carolina; 3/24/01 Game: 7, Gary Wagner vs. Norfolk State; Season: 157, Matt Hagen; 2002, Joey 5/12/83, Todd Nelson vs. James Monahan; 2002 Madison; 3/16/85, Todd Swisher and Career: 489, Pat Sipe; 1983-86 Chris Robbins vs. Virginia Tech; 4/9/90, Steve Baker vs. Elon; 4/6/02, Chad Doubles Miller vs. UNC Asheville, 5/13/06. Game: 3, Renard Brown vs. Queens; Season: 248, Michael Just; 2006 3/21/81, Jason Benham vs Virginia Career: 816, Phillip Laurent; 2003-06 Tech; 4/8/97, Ryan McClellan vs UNC Greensboro; 5/10/97, David Dalton vs Batting Average Coastal Carolina; 5/9/98, Joey Season (min. 75 at bats): .443, Sid Bream; Monahan vs.