Highlander Baseball Can't Snuff Flames, Liberty Sweeps Radford in Baseball

RADFORD, Va. - Liberty University swept Radford University in Big South Conference baseball action Saturday afternoon at Dedmon Center Park on the campus of Radford University. In game one the Flames did not flicker, out lasting the Highlanders 7-5 in 11 innings. In the night cap Liberty, behind a five run first inning, prevailed 7-3.
(Game 1 Box Score)
(Game 2 Box Score)

Game One – Liberty 7, Radford 5 (11 Innings)

A.J. Van Slyke's blooper down the right field line plated Daniel Bote and snapped a 5-5 tie in the top of the 11 innings as Liberty outlasted Radford, 7-5 in game one of the twin bill. The Highlanders forced extra innings in the bottom of the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Nate Hodges to right.

Phillip Laurent and Chad Bryan each went three-for-five in the contest to help pace the Liberty offense. Steve Mignogna and Alan Ashworth each collected a pair of hits, including doubles, for the Highlanders.

Stephen Williams worked the final 5.1 innings to earn the victory for LU. Williams scattered two hits and one run in relief of David Bechtold, whom allowed three runs on eight hits over 5.2 innings. Brian Williamson suffered the loss for RU, allowing two runs while not recording an out. Highlander starter Justin Tubb tossed 6.1 innings allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits for a no-decision.

The Highlanders took a 2-0 lead after two innings. RU manufactured a run in the first after Steve Mignogna led off the game with a double and scored on Stuart Rithcie’s sac fly. They added a run in the second on Alan Ashworth’s RBI double, scoring Shaun House whom had walked to lead off the inning.

Liberty would get one back in the fourth off RU starter Justin Tubb. Erich Cloniger pulled LU within one scoring Doug Bechtold from second after he led off the inning with a single to center. Two innings later in the sixth, Liberty pulled even with an unearned run.

Larry Wayne York gave the Flames took their first lead of the game, 3-2 in the seventh, on an RBI ground out. The lead did not last for long as the Highlanders bounced back in the bottom on the frame with their own RBI ground out.

A two-run Flame top of the eighth snapped the 3-3 tie. Chad Bryan singled to lead off the eighth and came around to score on Laurent’s single. Bote’s ground out plated the fifth LU run and gave Liberty a 5-3 lead going into the bottom of the eighth.

Game Two – Liberty 7, Radford 3

A.J. Van Slyke drove in a career best five runs in leading Liberty to a 7-3 victory and sweep of Radford University in the night cap of the double-header.

The Flames bats came out smoking, plating five first inning runs to chase Highlander starter Josh Deaver after just one inning. In that LU first inning, Van Slyke delivered the big blow with his bases loaded his double to right-center cleared the bases.

The Highlanders chipped away at the 5-0 deficit scoring single runs in the first three innings. Kellen Whlford’s RBI ground out plated the Highlanders first run in the first, Shaun House’s solo home run in the second to right and Stuart Ritchie’s came around to score on a wild pitch after he led off the inning with a double down the left field line.

Van Slyke’s fourth and fifth RBI in the game gave Liberty a four-run cushion, 7-3, in the fifth. Schafer was able to get out of a bases loaded jam in the sixth, inducing a pitcher-to-catcher-to-first double play and a line-out.

Deaver allowed six runs on five hits in just an inning of work in falling to 1-7 on the season. Michael Shafer (1-7) collected his first victory of the 2003 season in eight decisions, with Liberty’s first complete game of the season allowing three runs on seven hits in 7.0 innings.

The third and final game of the Big South Conference series will be tomorrow at 1 p.m.