Liberty Homers Past Highlander Baseball

LYNCHBURG, Va. -- Jeff Brown hit two home runs and Phillip Laurent hit another as the Liberty Flames defeated the Radford Highlanders, 8-5, Saturday afternoon to take the middle game of their three-game Big South series at Worthington Stadium. (Box Score)

Five of the Flames’ nine hits went for extra bases and scored runs as Liberty clinches a spot in the upcoming Big South Championship with a 10-10 conference record and 28-17 overall mark. Radford drops to 7-13 in the Big South with the loss and 13-33 overall.

The Flames jumped out to a lead in the first inning. With one out, Aaron Grijalva singled and Phillip Laurent singled to put runners at the corners. Jeff Brown then would follow with his fourth home run of the season, a blast over the right-center field wall for a 3-0 Liberty lead.

Radford came back with a run in the second inning. Nate Toth doubled to open the inning and score on the next batter Matt Mantione’s single.

In the third inning, the Flames extend the lead to 5-1 on a two-run home run by Laurent. The round tripper was the leftfielder’s seventh of the season and third in the first two games of the series.

The Highlanders would cut the lead to 5-3 with single runs in the fifth and seventh innings. In the fifth, Steve Mignogna tripled to open the inning and scored on a wild pitch. In the seventh, Mantione walked, stole second, and moved to third on pinch hitter David Landman’s single. Mantione would then score two batters later on a wild pitch.

Liberty would add insurance in the eighth inning. With one out, Brown would homer for the second time on the afternoon and the fifth time this season, a solo shot, to extend the lead to 6-3. P.K. Keller followed with a bloop single to right field and then stole second, advancing to third base on a throwing error by the Highlander catcher. With the runner on third base, the next batter Abe Yeakel doubled to the wall in center field to plate Keller and he would score as Patrick Gaillard followed with a RBI triple to up the Flames’ lead to 8-3.

In the top of the ninth inning, Radford would rally for two runs, but Liberty would hold on for the victory. Mignogna and Landman both singled to open the inning. After a walk to load the bases, Alan Ashworth scored Mignogna from third base on a sacrifice fly. Matt Fleisher, who was 3-for-4 on the afternoon followed with a double to score another Highlander run, but Flames reliever Ryan Page would end the game by striking out the next Radford batter.

Liberty starter Chris Zuvich picked up the win, allowing three runs on six hits over 6 1/3 innings, striking out six and walking five. Zuvich (7-2) remains unbeaten since rejoining the Flames’ starting rotation in mid-March, winning six of his seven starts and getting a no-decision in the other. Phillip Thompson followed with 1 2/3 innings of work, allowing two runs on four hits. Page finished the game with one inning of work, allowing one hit, while striking out one and walking one. Justin Morgan took the loss for Radford, allowing eight runs on nine hits, striking out four and walking two in 7 2/3 innings.

The Flames and Highlanders meet again tomorrow afternoon in the wrap-up of the three-game Big South series. Game time is set for 1 p.m.