Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/57049
2011 SEASON SUPERLATIVES With seven players selected in the 2011 Major League Draft, Liberty had the most players chosen in a single draft in the 38-year history of its program. The total tied the 2007 and 2010 Coastal Carolina squads for the Big South Conference record of seven players picked in a single draft. With a 35-24 record in 2011, the Flames have won 30 or more games in each of head coach Jim Toman's first four years at Liberty and a program- record seven consecutive seasons overall. Liberty finished 18-9 in Big South Conference play in 2011, after posting a school-record 19 conference victories in 2010. The Flames' combined 37 conference wins are the most by a Liberty team in back-to-back seasons since joining the Big South in 1992. Led by all-conference pitchers Garrett Baker, Steven Evans and Keegan Linza, the Liberty pitching staff had one of its strongest seasons in program history during 2011. The Flames' pitching staff posted a 4.05 ERA, the best for a Liberty team since 1991, which had a 3.77 ERA. Flames pitchers walked 144 batters during 2011, the fewest by a Liberty staff since 1986, when 140 free passes were issued. Liberty allowed the 10th fewest walks in the nation in 2011. Steven Evans completed his four-year career at Liberty by placing his name on several of the school's career lists. The left-hander posted 26 wins during his Flames' career, finishing second on the program's all-time victory list. Evans concluded his Liberty career second on the program's ledgers with 322 1/3 innings pitched and 268 strikeouts . In his final game in a Liberty Flames uniform, senior right-hander Keegan Linza pitched his fifth complete game of the season, leading Liberty to a 6-1 victory over Charleston Southern on May 26 at the 2011 Big South Baseball Championship. With the win, Linza finished the year with an 11-3 record, tying him with Jason Jones (2004) for the Liberty's single-season win record. The right- hander ranked sixth in the country and led the Big South in victories. Liberty had 119 stolen bases in 2011, the most by a Liberty team since 2001, when the Flames had a school-record 196. Liberty finished the season seventh in the nation in the statistical category and led the Big South Conference. Outfielder Ian Parmley led the Flames and finished third in the Big South Conference with 27 stolen bases in 2011. The Liberty outfielder ended the year ranked 31st nationally in the category. Parmley's 27 steals were the most by a Liberty player since 2004. 2012 LIBERTY BASEBALL GUIDE | 1