Highlanders Defeat League-Leading Birmingham-Southern

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--Radford collected 10 hits and took advantage of four Birmingham-Southern errors to knock off the Big South leading Panthers 9-6 Friday night at Scrushy-Striplin Field.

Justin Morgan (4-2) earned the win for RU. He allowed six runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings. Robby Bursey picked up his second save of the season for throwing 2 1/3 innings allowing one hit. David Horne (7-2) took the loss for the Panthers. He threw four innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits.

The teams traded runs in the second inning. Radford struck first when left fielder Kellen Wohlford scored on a RBI-single to centerfield by third baseman Shaun House. Shortstop Matt Barber evened things out for BSC in the bottom of the inning by scoring on a single by third baseman Pat Mizerany.

RU (20-19; 11-5 Big South) scored three more runs in the top of the third. Wohlford and shortstop Stuart Ritchie both scored on a double to left centerfield by House. House then scored on a throwing error that allowed designated hitter John Vellines to reach first before being thrown out at second.

Catcher Dean Altavilla plated another run for the Highs in the fourth on an RBI single up the middle by second baseman Alan Ashworth. Radford scored its final four runs in the top of the fifth. First baseman Mark Fleisher hit an RBI single to plate drive home Wohlford. House then scored on a n error that allowed centerfielder Jesse Ross to reach first. Altavilla and Vellines scored on a single by Ashworth to give RU a 9-1 lead.

Birmingham-Southern (32-11; 14-2 Big South) rallied, scoring two runs in the bottom of the sixth and three in the seventh. Right fielder Michael Cline scored on a RBI double in the sixth by left fielder Jared Walker. Walker then scored on a single to left field by designated hitter Ryan Griffith.

Cline tripled in the seventh inning to score Mizerany and centerfielder Matt Bogue. Cline then scored on a wild pitch, making the score 9-6. The Highlanders shut down BSC in the final two innings to preserve the victory.

Wohlford, Fleisher and House each went 2-for-4 on the night. House had three RBI while Wohlford had three runs scored. Ashworth went 2-for-5 with thre RBI.

Wlaker and Mizerany each went 2-for-3 to lead the Panthers.

Radford and Birmingham-Southern will resume the three-game series tomorrow. First pitch is set for 3:00 pm.