Radford, Va. – The Liberty Flames scored six runs in the first two innings and never looked back, taking down Radford 11-3 in midweek action on Tuesday night.

In a game that pitted two former Big South Conference rivals against each other, No. 20 Liberty (7-1) hit two home runs in the first inning, and tacked on four in the second to take a 6-0 lead.

The Highlanders were able to respond in the bottom of the third, when first baseman Tanner Barrs led off the inning with a double, his first extra-base hit of the season. Three batters later, Ty Dooley drove his teammate home with a single to left-center.

But the Flames had the answer, plating two runs in the top of the fourth on the strength of three doubles. Liberty center fielder Derek Orndorff led the charge, going 2-for-5 with four RBI and two runs.

From there, the scoring settled down, as Radford (2-6) held the visitors to just two hits over the final five innings. In the home half of the sixth, catcher Julian Rojas legged out an infield single to shortstop that drove in third baseman Zach Whitacre.

Whitacre provided some fireworks of his own in the eighth inning, launching a solo homer to right field for his first longball of the season.

Garrett Horn (2-0) earned the win for the Flames, pitching two innings of one-run ball in relief of starter Dylan Cumming.

NOTABLE STATS

• Whitacre had a multi-hit day, going 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI on the home run.
• Brandon Feathers and Johnny Maynard both pitched a scoreless inning of relief.
• The Highlanders' staff recorded 13 strikeouts on the evening, besting Liberty's nine.

UP NEXT
Radford continues their season-long 11-game homestand, as they welcome in Maryland-Eastern Shore for a three-game set at Carter Memorial Stadium. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. on Friday.

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