Leiberman Set's Single Season School Record Save Record, as Mignogna's Single Lifts Radford Over Birmingham-Southern 8-7

RADFORD, Va. - Radford University behind Steve Mignogna's eighth inning RBI single, and Bret Leiberman's school record eighth save, rebounded to take game three and the rubber match of the three-game non-conference series against Birmingham-Southern, 8-7 Sunday afternoon at Dedmon Center Park. (Box Score)

Mignogna delivered the go ahead run with two outs in the seventh, dropping a ball in front of the right fielder, scoring Nat Hodges from second and Leiberman closed the door with a 1-2-3 ninth to preserve the 8-7 victory for reliever Robby Bursey.

Bursey tossed 2.2 innings of one hit relief getting two key inning ending double plays in the sixth and eighth to improve to 2-3 on the season. John Crew, in relief of starter Chad Durden (2.1 IP, five runs, seven hits), suffered the loss allowing four runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings.

Radford starter Justin Tubb, fresh off a victory over No. 13 Richmond Tuesday and pitching on short rest, pitched 5.1 innings in earning the no-decision and preserving his unblemished 6-0 record. In the outing he allowed a season high 12 hits and eight runs (seven earned) and a pair of strikeouts.

Mignogna paced the Highlander offensive attack with three hits including a double and the game-winning RBI, while Alan Ashworth recorded his third multi-hit game in his last five games with a pair of hits. Stuart Ritchie, Shaun House and Scott Gvozdas each drove in two runs to help pace the Highlander victory.

Conner Roberstson went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run, while Adam Pease collected three singles and Matt Bogue drove in three runs with a pair of hits.

Birmingham Southern picked up where they left off on Saturday, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first as Panther first baseman Corner Robertson drilled a Tubb offering for a two-run home run over the scoreboard in left-center.

The contest would stay that way until the bottom of the third, when the Highlanders exploded for five runs on seven hits. In the RU third a sacrifice fly by Stuart Ritchie got RU on the board and Shaun House followed with a two-run single through the left side to give RU a 3-2 lead.

A single by Robertson and double by Asher sandwiched around a Griffith fielders’ choice set up a Johnathan Sanford RBI single while Michael Wydner’s RBI groundout to third pulled BSC within 5-4 in the top of the fourth. The Panthers added two more in the frame on Matt Bogue’s, two-out, two-run single to left gave Birmingham-Southern a 7-5 lead after three and a half innings.

Ritchie’s triple off the right-centerfield fence chased home Alan Ashworth, who singled with one out, from first pulling RU within one, 7-6 in the bottom of the fourth. In the top of the fifth, Birmingham-Southern would load the bases with one out, however Tubb got a pop-up to third and a fly out to left to end the Panther threat.

An unearned run in the BSC sixth gave the Panthers a two-run cushion once again (8-6). Pease singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a throwing error by right fielder Wetzel. He would come around to score on Bouge’s single to right.

Radford tied the contest once again in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of unearned runs, with Scott Gvozdas driving home a pair with two outs with a flare over the second baseman.

Radford next hosts in-state rival VCU, Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m.