Liberty athletics notebook: Maine pitcher DeLaite transferring to LU; Byron to honor duo at Coca-Cola 600 – Lynchburg News and Advance

Liberty baseball coach Scott Jackson was ecstatic when two senior infielders shortstop Cam Locklear and utility player Trey McDyre announced they were returning for the 2021 campaign. They were able to return for a fifth season of eligibility because of the NCAAs ruling to grant seniors another season because of the coronavirus pandemic canceling the spring sports season.

However, one of the four seniors who elected not to return was right-handed pitcher Garret Price, a reliable and valuable arm in the bullpen who was used either in long relief or in the late innings.

Jackson found a left-handed pitcher in the transfer portal who could fill Prices role.

Maine senior Trevor DeLaite told the Bangor Daily News he is transferring to Liberty as a graduate student and will be immediately eligible to play his last season in 2021.

DeLaite told the Daily News he will be in the hunt for a spot in the starting rotation, but also could be used in the bullpen.

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound DeLaite pitched against the Flames in Lynchburg in the 2019 season. He allowed one run on one hit in 3 1/3 innings of relief in a 3-2 loss. He allowed four walks and struck out four.

Seeing their facility, seeing their talent level, hearing about the reputation of their coach, and their pursuit of God, too, their values lined up really well with mine, DeLaite told the newspaper. That made it a real easy decision.

Byron honoring two military veterans at race in Charlotte

NASCAR Cup Series driver and Liberty junior William Byron will display the names of two U.S. military service members with ties to the university during the May 24 running of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Bryons No. 24 Chevrolet will don a patriotic paint scheme with the name of U.S. Army Sgt. Robert J. Billings on the windshield header. George Rogers, a decorated World War II hero and former Liberty administrator, will be honored with his name emblazoned beneath the rear window.

Rogers died in August 2019 at the age of 100. He received the Purple Heart and Prisoner of War medals for his service in World War II. He was one of 75,000 American and Philippine troops captured by Japanese forces while serving in the Philippines and was among the survivors of the Bataan Death March. He spent more than 25 years as an administrator at Liberty, including as the universitys chief financial officer, before retiring in 1999.

Billings, a native of Clarksville, died at the age of 30 on Oct. 13, 2012, in Afghanistan from wounds suffered from an enemy attack using an improvised explosive device. Billings was a student in Libertys online programs.

Two teams honored for academics

Two teams from Liberty received Public Recognition Awards from the NCAA for having an Academic Progress Rate (APR) score in the top 10% of Division I programs in their respective sports.

The APR scores measured academic eligibility, retention and graduation rates from the 2015-16 academic year through the 2018-19 academic year.

The volleyball and womens cross country programs were honored at Liberty. Volleyball has been recognized for its APR scores in six straight years, while womens cross country has been honored three straight years.

Damien Sordelett covers Liberty University athletics and local golf for The News & Advance. Reach him at (434) 385-5550.