BOX SCORE RADFORD, Va. –
Eddie Butler struck out nine hitters and
Carl Travers knocked in a pair of sixth inning runs, leading Radford to a 4-0 Big South series-opening win over Liberty.
The game, which was delayed by weather from its original 6:30 p.m. start time, did not begin until 10:02 p.m. on Thursday, wrapping up at 12:44 a.m. on Friday. It was the final college baseball game to conclude nationally on a day with a full schedule.
Josh Gardiner went 3-for-4 for the Highlanders (28-24-1, 12-10 Big South), who moved into a tie with Liberty for third place in the league standings with the win.
Matt Mack added a pair of hits and
Brett Mollenhauer extended his hitting streak to 16 games in the win.
John Niggli pitched well for the Flames (36-18, 12-10), but took the loss – Niggli (8-3) allowed three runs (one earned) on seven hits with six strikeouts and no walks.
Butler (6-4) went six innings, posting his third nine-strikeout performance this season – he limited the Flames to just two hits in his third scoreless start.
Blake Sipe put Radford on the board in the bottom of the second inning.
Ryan Burgess doubled to right center field to start the inning and Sipe's ground out to the right side two plays later brought him home to give the Highlanders the lead.
With two on and two outs in the sixth inning, Travers extended the lead to three runs with his second hit of the night, driving a ball to the right center field gap to score two runs and make it 3-0 for the Highlanders.
Patrick Marshall drove in Mack with one out in the eighth to close the scoring.
Liberty's best chance to score came in the eighth inning – Dalton Sype singled to lead off, then an Ian Parmley double to the corner in right field put runners at second and third with one out for the Flames.
Jason Patten came in to the game in relief of
Jeff Maxwell and got a pair of fly balls to end the threat and leave two in scoring position.
Patten struck out the side in the ninth to earn his sixth save.
The series resumes tonight at 6:30 p.m. with game two.
