LYNCHBURG, Va.- Chad Miller's bases-clearing triple in the third inning gave Liberty an 8-4 lead that the Flames would never relinquish, as LU claimed a series sweep over VMI by a 9-7 count Sunday afternoon at Worthington Stadium. With the win, LU improves to 21-8 and 3-3 in the Big South, while VMI fell to 20-9 and 2-4 in the League.

Miller's bases-loaded three-bagger came just after Patrick Gaillard's infield single that brought home Aaron Grijalva to give the Flames a 5-4 advantage. The Keydets pulled to within one run in the seventh inning, but never saw another batter reach base.

Picking up his first collegiate win for LU was starter Dustin Umberger (1-1), who made just his second start of the season and gave up seven runs on five hits, working 6.1 innings. He was relieved by Tim John, who earned his first save of the season by retiring each of the eight batters he faced. Taking the loss for VMI was J.J. Hollenbeck (1-3), who came on in the third inning and allowed five runs on six hits in his five innings on the mound.

"We knew today would be a dogfight," said VMI head coach Marlin Ikenberry. "We knew we were going to battle, and we knew they were going to battle. We just came up a little short. But it was good to see our guys get back out there and compete, you know, we competed all 27 outs today, and we just came up short."

Gaillard (3-for-5) and Miller (2-for-3) combined for five hits, four RBI and three runs scored at the top of the Flames' lineup. B.T. Good brought home a pair of runs for VMI, while Shane Geisslinger was the only Keydet to post multiple hits, going 2-for-4 while scoring a run.

A first-inning rally gave Liberty the lead for the second straight day, as Michael Just's double down the left-field line brought home two runs, followed by an RBI groundout by Grijalva two batters later to give the hosts a 3-0 advantage.

But VMI answered in the second inning, thanks to a two-run single by B.T. Good. Good then worked his way around the bases and scored two batters later on a groundout to third base by Will Smith to knot the game at three.

LU again took the lead in their half of the second, this time on an unearned run. Phil John reached base on a throwing error by the shortstop, then moved up two bases on a wild pitch by VMI starter Michael Bowman. John then scored on Errol Hollinger's base knock to left field.

VMI answered again in the third inning, as Chad Rice led off the inning by being hit by a pitch. Rice then advanced to second base on a wild pitch, before stealing third base. He then scored on Robert Crumpler's sacrifice fly, tying the game at four.

But the Flames took the lead for good in the third, with Gaillard's single and Miller's triple doing the damage. VMI posted a three-spot in the seventh inning to cut the advantage to 8-7 for LU, with Chad Rice's double, Klint Reed's sacrifice fly and Shane Geisslinger scoring on a wild pitch accounting for the runs.

Liberty would advance the margin to two runs in their half of the seventh, as Abe Yeakel earned a two-out walk, then stole second base before a pair of wild pitches brought him home.

The Keydets return to action on Wednesday evening, as they travel to Blacksburg to take on Virginia Tech at English Field at 7 p.m.