ROCK HILL, S.C. ó Liberty University topped UNCA ó the error-prone defending champion ó 12-8, ending the Bulldogsí season in an elimination game of the Big South Conference baseball tournament last Friday afternoon.

UNCA (22-38) led 5-4 in the top of the third inning, but No. 3 seed Liberty retaliated with three runs in the bottom of the inning ó and never again relinquished the lead.

The Bulldogs smacked 15 hits in the game, but that total was more than offset by five errors that cost UNCA three unearned runs.

Rob Vernon paced UNCA at the plate with three hits and three RBI. He connected for his eighth hom run of the season. Freshman Justin Schumer went 3-for-5 with two RBI and three runs score. David Williams, Kevin Mattison and John Whited had two hits each.

ìWe competed hard and battled but simply made too many mistakes to win a tournament game,î UNCA coach Willie Stewart said afterward. ìYou canít make five errors and beat a good time like Liberty.

He added, ìIím proud of our guys, though, as they fought right to the final out.î

Despite the season-ending loss, UNCAís Vernon shattered three team single-season hitting records, including a .394 average, 97 hits and 153 total bases.

In other recent Bulldogs baseball action:

ï In a slugfest, the Bulldogs outlasted the High Point University Panthers 9-7 last Thursday afternoon in an elimination game at the Big South Conference baseball tournament in Rock Hill, S.C. Defending champion UNCA was led at the plate by David Williams, who finished 3-for-5. Recording the win for the Bulldogs was starter Chris Nigro (3-4), who allowed six runs (five earned) on 12 hits in eight innings.

ï Top-seeded Coastal Carolina erupted for three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to beat UNCA 6-3 in the BSC baseball tournament in Rock Hill last Wedneday. The Chanticleers (45-11) scored one run in the eighth when Chris Raber was hit by a pitch from Chris Nigro. Later in the inning, Matt Rademacher smacked a two-run single. Recording the loss was reliever Andrew Alexander (0-2), who allowed one run in 2-1/3 innings.

ï UNCA whipped Charleston Southern 3-0 in the qualifying round to advance to the opening round of the BSC baseball tournament at Winthrop Ballpark in Rock Hill on May 22. Starter Graham Baughn (7-5), who sparkled on the mound for the Bulldogs, took the win. He limited the Buccaneers to just three hits and registered his first career shutout. Baughn struck out a career-high eight batters and walked three. Meanwhile, UNCAís Rob Vernon extended his hitting streak to 18 games.

ï UNCA senior outfielder Rob Vernon was named last week to the Big South All-Conference first team in baseball. The Solon, Ohio, native hit .397 in the regular season ó second best in the league. He led the team in home runs (seven), RBIs (52) and stolen bases (16). He also led the BSC in hits (91) and tied for the lead in total bases (143). Vernon, who also was named to the BSCís All-American team, is the first Bulldogs baseball player to earn first-team honors since second baseman David Williams in 2004.