DELAND, Fla. - Trailing 4-0 to the Liberty Flames on two separate occasions on Sunday, the Stetson Hatters were able to rally twice, overcoming a 7-0 deficit to take game two of their series 13-8, before again overcoming a 4-0 hole to secure the sweep with a 5-4 win in the series finale.

Cole Stallings took over on the mound for the Hatters (27-17, 15-6 ASUN) following the resumption of play. After a soft single to right-center plated another run, he induced a groundout to end the inning with the Flames leading 5-0.

Liberty (19-24, 10-11 ASUN) added a pair to push the lead to 7-0, but Stetson refused to roll over, cutting into the Liberty lead in the third when ­­­­catcher Christian Pregent singled home second baseman Yohann Dessureault and left fielder David Bermudez to put the Hatters on the board.

After Liberty got a solo home run in the fourth to push their advantage back to six runs, the Hatters exploded for a five-spot in the bottom of the inning. The Hatters loaded the bases to open the frame, thanks to a double from right fielder Jayden Hylton, a walk from third baseman Drew Wyers, and a hit-by-pitch from Dessureault, before a passed ball allowed a run to score. After shortstop Lorenzo Meola worked a walk to load the bases, a throwing error on a fielder's choice  allowed Wyers to score and make it 8-4 Liberty. An RBI single from first baseman Landon Moran made it 8-5, before a two-run single off the bat of designated hitter Daniel Labrador cut the Flames' lead to 8-7.

Wyers got things started again with a single to open the fifth, and Dessureault was hit by another pitch before both moved up on a passed ball. Meola then roped a single to left-center field to drive in both runs and give the Hatters their first lead of the day. Meola ended the play at second base following an error, before being driven in by Bermudez on a single to center field. A walk to Moran and a balk gave the Hatters runners at second and third for Pregent, who roped a single back up the middle to score both runners and put Stetson on top 12-8.

An RBI double from Meola in the eighth made it 13-8 and capped the comeback, the largest for the Hatters this season.

Moran reached base five times, going 3-for-3 and drawing a pair of walks, while Bermudez went 3-for-6 in the game.

Brendan Walker (2-2) picked up the win in relief, allowing one runs on one hit in 2.1 innings of work. Anthony DeFabbia (4) earned the save, tossing 3.1 innings of scoreless, hitless ball. He walked one and struck out a pair.

The day's second game saw the Flames strike for a trio of runs in the fourth inning, before adding a run in the fifth for a 4-0 lead.

The Hatters managed just four baserunners through the first five innings, getting singles from Pregent and centerfielder Cameron Hill, a walk from Wyers, and a hit-by-pitch from Dessureault. The HBP was the fourth of the day for the Stetson sophomore and the 19th of the season, moving him into sole posession of the single-season record.

That all changed in the sixth though, as the Hatters rallied again, taking a 5-4 lead on the back of three hits, two hit batters, a walk, and a big Liberty error.  Bermudez was hit by a pitch to open the inning, before Hill placed a double just indies the right field line to give Stetson a pair of runners in scoring position with nobody out. Moran then reached on an error that saw both runners score, ending up at second base when the play was over with the Hatters trailing by just two. A walk to Pregent sent the Flames to the bullpen, the Hatters wouldn't be turned away, cutting the deficit to one on a pinch hit double off the bat of Brandon Hylton before tying things up on a Yohann Dessureault sacrifice fly. With runners at second and third, Meola stepped the plate and, after a pair of pitches, ripped a ball deep into the hole between shortstop and third base. The Liberty shortstop fielded cleanly and fired to first, but Meola laid out, just beating the throw to drive in pinch runner Evan Griffis and put Stetson up 5-4.

Jonathan Gonzalez, who had worked a scoreless sixth for the Hatters, did the same in the seventh, working around a single and a walk to secure the second come-from-behind win of the day and the fourth ASUN sweep of the season for Stetson.

All told, the Hatters scattered five hits in the game, with Hill and Brandon Hylton collecting doubles. Hill (2-for-3), Pregent (1-for-2 with a walk), and Wyers (0-for-1 with a walk and an HBP) all reached base twice in the game.

Stetson is back in action at the MAC on Tuesday night, playing host to South Florida at 6:30 PM. The Hatters will then make the trip to Fort Myers for what is shaping up to be a a three-game series that has massive implications in the ASUN title race. Pending the results of Sunday's game between Florida Gulf Coast and Austin Peay,  Stetson enters the series no worse than in second place, just a game back of the Eagles. 

About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS.

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