By R.L. Bynum
Former Liberty head baseball coach Scott Jackson’s expected move to the North Carolina coaching staff has netted the Tar Heels a star left-handed hitting outfielder for the second time in two days. In addition, a former Flames pitcher is joining UNC.
A day after the top high school outfielder in the state, former Flames commitment Sawyer Black, committed to UNC, Liberty outfielder Kane Kepley and right-handed pitcher Cale Bolton announced that they are transferring to North Carolina.
Like Black, Kepley — who is 5–8, 165 pounds — made the announcement on X (formerly Twitter) with a post that included a Carolina logo.
Bolton also made his announcement on X.
Once Jackson resigned as the Flames coach on July 11, all players on their roster could enter the transfer portal. Kepley and Bolton and six other Liberty players did that. Ten others were already in the portal before Jackson’s resignation, including designated hitter Todd Hudson, who has committed to Miami.
Kepley (top photo) began his college career as a walk-on after not receiving any Division I offers out of high school but earned a scholarship after a big freshman season (.310 with 17 steals and 19 RBI in 50 games) and became a fixture as the Flames’ leadoff man.
Kepley, second-team All-CUSA last season as a sophomore last season, led South Rowan High School to the state 3-A title in 2022, when he stole 33 bases and made the All-State team.
Last season at Liberty, he hit a team-high .332 with nine home runs, 12 doubles, 31 RBI, 25 stolen bases (on 27 attempts) and a team-high 112 total bases in 58 games. Kepley, who walked 53 times and only struck out 27 times for Liberty last season, is playing in the Cape Cod League this summer for Hyannis, hitting .259 with two home runs and 14 steals in 25 games.
Kepley, who played 29 games in left field and 11 in center field for Liberty last season, is from Salisbury, just like former UNC center fielder Vance Honeycutt, whom the Baltimore Orioles made the 22nd overall pick in the first round of the MLB Draft on Sunday.
The 6–5, 230-pound Bolton, who is from Louisburg, went 2–2 last season with a 5.08 ERA with 11 walks and 21 strikeouts in 28⅓ innings. He came to Liberty after going 4–2 with a 3.00 ERA and 33 strikeouts with 10 walks in 10 appearances in 2023 at Brunswick Community College.
Photo via libertyflames.com
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