DURHAM, N.C. (Interstat) — Nick Barone launched three home runs and drove in six as the Liberty Flames overpowered the Duke Blue Devils 17-7 in a nonconference baseball game Tuesday night at Jack Coombs Field.

The victory improved Liberty’s record to 26-10, while Duke fell to 22-17. The result defied pregame projections, as Interstat’s ELO system had given Duke a 62.7% probability to win, and its simulator had predicted a much closer 8-6 Flames victory.

Barone, the Flames’ left fielder, was the catalyst in a dominant offensive performance that saw Liberty pound out 10 hits, many for extra bases. His first homer, a two-run shot to right-center in the top of the first inning, staked Liberty to a 3-0 lead before Duke had come to bat. After Duke rallied to close the gap, Barone struck again in the third, following an error with another two-run homer, this time to left field. He completed his historic night in the eighth inning, crushing his eighth home run of the season, another two-run blast to deep center.

The most important sequence of the game came in the top of the fifth inning, which proved to be the decisive offensive breakout for Liberty. Leading 8-6, the Flames loaded the bases against Duke reliever Bryan. After a pitching change to Mastroianni, Liberty catcher Kyle Hvidsten delivered a two-run double, and center fielder Josh Campos followed with a two-run single. The four-run inning extended Liberty’s lead to 12-6 and effectively put the game out of reach, as the Flames’ bullpen silenced the Blue Devils’ bats thereafter.

Hvidsten had a perfect night at the plate, going 2 for 2 with a home run, a double, two RBIs and three runs scored. Campos added three hits, including a home run, and three RBIs.

Duke’s offense was led by shortstop Jake Lambdin and center fielder Michael DiMartini, who each hit two-run homers. The Blue Devils collected 12 hits but stranded multiple runners and could not keep pace with Liberty’s relentless scoring.

On the mound, Liberty reliever Brandon Dahlman earned the win with three perfect innings of relief, striking out three. Aydan Decker-Petty and Seth Way each contributed a scoreless inning out of the bullpen. For Duke, David Boisvert provided two scoreless innings of relief, but the Flames battered the rest of the Blue Devils’ pitching staff.

The game was a seesaw affair early. Duke answered Liberty’s three-run first with two of its own, aided by a Liberty error. After Hvidsten and Campos hit back-to-back solo homers in the second to make it 5-2, Duke erupted for four runs in the bottom of the frame, highlighted by Lambdin’s two-run homer, to take a brief 6-5 lead. Barone’s second homer in the third immediately put Liberty back ahead for good.

Liberty added two unearned runs in the seventh on a Duke fielding error and Barone’s final homer in the eighth before capping the scoring with another unearned run in the ninth.

The two teams are scheduled to meet again next Tuesday in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty opens a three-game series at Dallas Baptist on Friday, while Duke travels to Boston College for a weekend series.