Thursday, May 14
Lynchburg, Va.
4:00 PM
Liberty University
31-17, 17-7
9
vs
8
Radford
23-22, 14-9
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RADFORD | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 0 |
| LIBERTY | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | X | 9 | 12 | 1 |
Liberty Outslugs Radford, 9-8
5/14/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Jeff Jefferson hit two home runs and drove in three runs, and P.J. Jimenez hit a two-run homer, as the Liberty Flames outslugged the Radford Highlanders, 9-8, Thursday afternoon in a Big South Conference contest at Worthington Stadium.
Six home runs were hit in the contest, as each side belted three out of the park. Thirteen of the 24 hits in the game were for extra bases.
With the win, Liberty moves to 17-7 in Big South play and 31-17 overall. Radford falls to 14-9 in conference and 23-22 overall. The victory also secures Liberty one of the top three seeds in next week's Big South Baseball Championship, as the win eliminated Radford's ability to climb above the Flames in the final regular-season league standings.
The Flames jumped on the scoreboard in the home half of the second inning. Jefferson (So., Danville, Va.) blasted his fifth home run of the year over the Worthington Stadium scoreboard in left field leading off the frame to give Liberty a 1-0 advantage.
The Highlanders evened the score at 1-1 in the top of the third inning. With two outs, center fielder Tyren Rivers doubled. Right fielder Reggie Keen followed with a single to left field, scoring Rivers to knot the contest.
Radford took a 2-1 lead in the fourth. With two outs, third baseman Nick Minter connected for his first home run of the season, a solo shot into the left field bullpen, putting the Highlanders on top for the first time in the contest.
The visitors' advantage was short-lived, as the Flames went back in front in the bottom of the inning, plating four runs on six hits. Five of the Liberty base knocks during the frame were for extra bases. Right fielder Casey Brown (Jr., Bakersfield, Calif.) began the uprising by lacing a double inside the right field line.
The next batter, third baseman Kizuku Scott (Fr., Hampton, Va.) promptly cashed in Casey Brown to tie the game at 2-2. Two batters later with first baseman Trey Wimmer (Fr., Greenwood, S.C.) on first base after singling, second baseman Jimenez (Jr., Yucaipa, Calif.) ripped his third home run of the year over the left field wall for a 4-2 Liberty edge.
Shortstop Matt Williams (Fr., Franklin, Tenn.) followed with double to left-center field. Center fielder Curran Redal (Jr., Moses Lake, Wash.) then laced a double off the top of the right field wall to chase home Williams, giving the Flames a 5-2 lead.
The two teams exchanged runs in the fifth inning. In the top of the frame, the Highlanders pushed across an unearned run. Left fielder Will Naylor, who reached on a leadoff single, scored on an errant throw by Wimmer on attempt to get the base runner at third base. In the bottom of the inning, Jefferson blasted his second round tripper of the contest and sixth of the year to make it, 6-3 Flames.
In the sixth inning, Radford plated a run to cut the Liberty advantage to 6-4. Shortstop Jeff Kemp scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded.
Liberty countered with three runs in the home half of the frame. With the bases loaded and one out, pinch hitter Justin Richardson (Fr., Lehigh Acres, Fla.) walked to force in the first run of the Liberty sixth inning. Casey Brown and Jefferson each followed with fielder's choice RBIs to extend the Flames lead to 9-4.
In the top of the eighth, Radford catcher Robert Lamas hit his third home run of the season to trim the Liberty advantage to 9-5.
The Highlanders closed to within one in the ninth inning, as Kemp connected for a three-run home run with two outs, his fifth round tripper of the year. However, Flame reliever Andrew Wilson (Sr., Cary, N.C.) struck out the next Radford hitter to seal the 9-8 Liberty win.
Liberty starter Shawn Teufel (Jr., Tequesta, Fla.) runs his record to 8-2 on the year. The left-hander gave up four runs, three earned, on six hits over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out six batters and walked two. Carter Browning (Jr., RHP, Ada, Okla.) followed, allowing two runs on four hits, striking out three batters over 2 2/3 innings. Wilson pitched the ninth frame, yielding two runs on two hits, striking out two.
Radford starter Aerik Taylor takes the loss to fall to 5-4 on the season. He gave up six runs on 11 hits, striking out six batters over 4 2/3 innings.
Liberty's Redal led all hitters in the contest with three hits. Jefferson and Scott added two hits each for the Flames. Keen, Kemp and Minter had two hits apiece for Radford.
Liberty will host Radford again tomorrow in the middle game of the three-game Big South series at Worthington Stadium. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Six home runs were hit in the contest, as each side belted three out of the park. Thirteen of the 24 hits in the game were for extra bases.
With the win, Liberty moves to 17-7 in Big South play and 31-17 overall. Radford falls to 14-9 in conference and 23-22 overall. The victory also secures Liberty one of the top three seeds in next week's Big South Baseball Championship, as the win eliminated Radford's ability to climb above the Flames in the final regular-season league standings.
The Flames jumped on the scoreboard in the home half of the second inning. Jefferson (So., Danville, Va.) blasted his fifth home run of the year over the Worthington Stadium scoreboard in left field leading off the frame to give Liberty a 1-0 advantage.
The Highlanders evened the score at 1-1 in the top of the third inning. With two outs, center fielder Tyren Rivers doubled. Right fielder Reggie Keen followed with a single to left field, scoring Rivers to knot the contest.
Radford took a 2-1 lead in the fourth. With two outs, third baseman Nick Minter connected for his first home run of the season, a solo shot into the left field bullpen, putting the Highlanders on top for the first time in the contest.
The visitors' advantage was short-lived, as the Flames went back in front in the bottom of the inning, plating four runs on six hits. Five of the Liberty base knocks during the frame were for extra bases. Right fielder Casey Brown (Jr., Bakersfield, Calif.) began the uprising by lacing a double inside the right field line.
The next batter, third baseman Kizuku Scott (Fr., Hampton, Va.) promptly cashed in Casey Brown to tie the game at 2-2. Two batters later with first baseman Trey Wimmer (Fr., Greenwood, S.C.) on first base after singling, second baseman Jimenez (Jr., Yucaipa, Calif.) ripped his third home run of the year over the left field wall for a 4-2 Liberty edge.
Shortstop Matt Williams (Fr., Franklin, Tenn.) followed with double to left-center field. Center fielder Curran Redal (Jr., Moses Lake, Wash.) then laced a double off the top of the right field wall to chase home Williams, giving the Flames a 5-2 lead.
The two teams exchanged runs in the fifth inning. In the top of the frame, the Highlanders pushed across an unearned run. Left fielder Will Naylor, who reached on a leadoff single, scored on an errant throw by Wimmer on attempt to get the base runner at third base. In the bottom of the inning, Jefferson blasted his second round tripper of the contest and sixth of the year to make it, 6-3 Flames.
In the sixth inning, Radford plated a run to cut the Liberty advantage to 6-4. Shortstop Jeff Kemp scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded.
Liberty countered with three runs in the home half of the frame. With the bases loaded and one out, pinch hitter Justin Richardson (Fr., Lehigh Acres, Fla.) walked to force in the first run of the Liberty sixth inning. Casey Brown and Jefferson each followed with fielder's choice RBIs to extend the Flames lead to 9-4.
In the top of the eighth, Radford catcher Robert Lamas hit his third home run of the season to trim the Liberty advantage to 9-5.
The Highlanders closed to within one in the ninth inning, as Kemp connected for a three-run home run with two outs, his fifth round tripper of the year. However, Flame reliever Andrew Wilson (Sr., Cary, N.C.) struck out the next Radford hitter to seal the 9-8 Liberty win.
Liberty starter Shawn Teufel (Jr., Tequesta, Fla.) runs his record to 8-2 on the year. The left-hander gave up four runs, three earned, on six hits over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out six batters and walked two. Carter Browning (Jr., RHP, Ada, Okla.) followed, allowing two runs on four hits, striking out three batters over 2 2/3 innings. Wilson pitched the ninth frame, yielding two runs on two hits, striking out two.
Radford starter Aerik Taylor takes the loss to fall to 5-4 on the season. He gave up six runs on 11 hits, striking out six batters over 4 2/3 innings.
Liberty's Redal led all hitters in the contest with three hits. Jefferson and Scott added two hits each for the Flames. Keen, Kemp and Minter had two hits apiece for Radford.
Liberty will host Radford again tomorrow in the middle game of the three-game Big South series at Worthington Stadium. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Teufel, Shawn (8-2)
L: TAYLOR, Aerik (5-4)
Batting:
2B: RIVERS, Tyren 1 ; KEEN, Reggie 1 ; TURNER, Raphael 1
HR: KEMP, Jeff 1 ; MINTER, Nick 1 ; LAMAS, Robert 1
RBI: KEEN, Reggie 1 ; KEMP, Jeff 3 ; MINTER, Nick 1 ; LAMAS, Robert 1
Base Running:
RUNS: RIVERS, Tyren 1 ; KEMP, Jeff 2 ; MINTER, Nick 1 ; LAMAS, Robert 1 ; NAYLOR, Will 1 ; HOOGSTRATEN, Rick 1 ; TURNER, Raphael 1
SB: KEMP, Jeff 1
HBP: NAYLOR, Will 1
Batting:
2B: Williams, Matt 1 ; Redal, Curran 1 ; Brown, Casey 1 ; Scott, Kizuku 1
HR: Jefferson, Jeff 2 ; Jimenez, P.J. 1
RBI: Redal, Curran 1 ; Brown, Cody 1 ; Brown, Casey 1 ; Jefferson, Jeff 3 ; Scott, Kizuku 1 ; Jimenez, P.J. 2
SH: Jimenez, P.J. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Williams, Matt 2 ; Redal, Curran 1 ; Brown, Cody 1 ; Brown, Casey 1 ; Jefferson, Jeff 2 ; Wimmer, Trey 1 ; Jimenez, P.J. 1
HBP: Williams, Matt 1 ; Scott, Kizuku 1
PO: Scott, Kizuku 1
Game Leaders
.jpg&width=100&height=100&type=webp)
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
.jpg&width=100&height=100&type=webp)
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
.jpg&width=100&height=100&type=webp)
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
.jpg&width=100&height=100&type=webp)
AB
4
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
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