BOX SCORE

RADFORD, Va. – Radford had 10 hits, but Liberty pitching limited the Highlanders to a single run in a 3-1 win in the second game of a Big South baseball series on Saturday afternoon.

The Flames (21-9, 5-3 Big South) got 5 1/3 innings from starter Keegan Linza, who earned his seventh win of the season (7-0).  Josh Richardson, who worked the final 3 2/3 innings to earn the save (3), got the Flames out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth and left two in scoring position in the seventh.

Seven of Radford's (13-14, 4-4) starters had hits, including multi-hit days from Cory Turner and Matt Hillsinger, but it wasn't enough for the Highlanders.

Radford starter Eddie Butler went seven strong innings, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out five, but was charged with the loss (4-2).

“Eddie Butler was outstanding today, again,” head coach Joe Raccuia said.  “After struggling through the first inning, he settled down and was dynamic for seven innings.  Butler deserved better than what he got.”

Nathan Thompson got Liberty on the board with a two-run single in the first, staking the Flames to an early lead that they didn't give up.  

After the Highlanders got a run back on an RBI single up the middle from Brett Mollenhauer in the third, the next best opportunity for Radford came in the sixth, when Linza walked three straight with one out to load the bases.  Richardson entered and got a strikeout and pop fly out to keep the Liberty lead at 2-1.

In the seventh, the Highlanders threatened again with three straight singles, but fell victim to a key defensive play by Liberty.  On a Raphael Turner single with runners at first and second, left fielder Doug Bream made an accurate throw to the plate to cut down Hillsinger and protect the Liberty lead.

“Liberty scored three runs, but they drove those in.  We scored a run, but we need to do a better job producing runs,” Raccuia said.  “We hit a lot of singles again today, but we need to do that when there are guys at second or two guys on.” 

The Flames got insurance in the eighth on Tyler Bream's RBI double, capping the scoring.  Bream was 2-for-4 at the plate, the only Liberty hitter with a multi-hit day.

The series concludes tomorrow at 1 p.m.