Landon Riley: The Liberty Flames baseball team had a heartbreaking end to its season. In the Gainesville Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Central Michigan defeated Liberty 3-2 in 12 innings on Saturday. Earlier in the tournament, #9 Oklahoma defeated the Flames 16-3. Riley threw the eighth inning of the loss to the Sooners. Liberty, who gained an at-large selection to the tournament, ends the year 37-22. Riley’s career in Lynchburg also came to an end. In the Atlantic Sun Tournament at Swanson Stadium in Fort Myers, Florida, Liberty advanced to the final. On May 27, the Flames moved on to the championship with a 18-9 win over Eastern Kentucky. Riley threw one-and-one-thirds innings and gave up just one run off one hit. He struck out one. Kennesaw State defeated Liberty for the Atlantic Sun Tournament championship. This season, Riley made eleven pitching appearances. He didn’t record a decision and finished with a 4.09 ERA. He had 13 strikeouts and ten walks. Over his four years with Liberty, Riley had a 6-0 record over 48 relief appearances. He made the 2021 All-Atlantic Sun Academic team. In his junior season, Riley posted a 2-0 record with five saves and a 4.00 ERA in 18 innings. He struck out 19 and walked nine.
Joey Berini: The #8 East Carolina Pirates won the Greenville Regional on Monday. The Pirates defeated Coastal Carolina 13-4 at Clark-LeClair Stadium to advance to the Super Regional for the third-straight year and the seventh time in program history. In the regional championship clinching win over the Chanticleers, Berini went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Berini checked into the game in the fourth inning with ECU leading 4-2 and had a single to right field. With the Pirates leading 8-2 in the seventh, Berini singled to right field. He eventually scored off a three-run home run by Bryson Worrell. The Pirates started off the regional with a 17-1 win over Coppin State. Berini went 1-for-2 against the Eagles. He checked in during the sixth inning as a pinch-hitter and remained at second base. Berini hit a leadoff single in the eighth inning and eventually scored off a double by Joey Rezek. ECU is 45-19 and will face #9 Texas in the best-of-three Super Regional starting this Friday in Greenville.
Bryse Wilson: On May 23, Wilson was optioned by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Indianapolis Indians of the International League. With Pittsburgh, Wilson was 0-3 with a 7.53 ERA in 28-and-two-thirds innings. He had 24 strikeouts and 14 walks. On Friday, Wilson earned the win as Indianapolis defeated the Omaha Storm Chasers 5-2 at Werner Park in Papillion, NE. Over seven innings, Wilson yielded only two runs off three hits. He had five strikeouts and one walk to earn his second win in as many stars with Indianapolis. In his first start with the Indians, Wilson earned the win in Indianapolis’ 7-4 victory over the St. Paul Saints at CHS Field in Minnesota. Over six innings, Wilson struck out eight. He surrendered four runs off six hits and one walk.
Mia Davidson: After her softball career at Mississippi State ended in the Super Regionals of the NCAA Tournament, Mia Davidson was named the Diamond Sports/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Catcher of the Year. Davidson was also voted as a unanimous first-team All-American by D1Softbal.com and the NFCA. It is the second time in her career that Davidson was named an All-American. She is the fifth player in Mississippi State history to earn All-American honors in multiple seasons. This season, Davidson was named first-team All-Southeastern Conference after she led Mississippi State in nine categories. She had a .366 batting average with 23 home runs, 45 RBIs and a .545 on-base percentage. Davidson will play with Athletes Unlimited starting next month.