Box Score

RADFORD, Va. – Radford freshman left-hander Paul DeVito (Annapolis, Md./Archbishop Spalding) fired 7 1/3 strong innings and the Highlanders built a four-run lead through two frames, snapping a three-game slide with a 7-4 win over James Madison Wednesday at Radford University Baseball Field.

DeVito (2-0) yielded six hits and two runs while fanning three to hold down the Diamond Dukes (12-8).   The southpaw put up four 1-2-3 innings, and got out of a second-inning situation with a 2-1 score and a man in scoring position by picking off catcher Chris Johnson at first to retire the side.  

The Highlanders (5-8) answered in the home half of the inning by plating three to go ahead 5-1.  Radford's first two men reached, then junior center fielder Tyren Rivers (Suffolk, Va./Nansemond River) doubled in freshman catcher Carl Travers (Huntingtown, Md./Riverdale Baptist) to make it a 3-1 game.  Two batters later, freshman shortstop Jeff Kemp's (Bowie, Md./Archbishop Spalding) RBI double to right brought in Rivers and senior designated hitter Will Naylor (Clifton, Va./Paul VI), extending the lead to 5-1.

Radford added a pair of runs in sixth, highlighted by senior left fielder Mario Duarte's (Tampa, Fla./Gaither) RBI double to right center with no one out.

Kemp's two RBI and 2-for-3 day led Radford at the plate.  Senior first baseman Alex Gregory (Great Falls, Va./Paul VI) and senior third baseman Nick Minter (Virginia Beach, Va./Salem) added 2-for-4 showings with an RBI and run each.  

The Dukes, who added runs in the eighth and ninth (2), got a 3-for-4 day from Johnson.  Left fielder Matt Browning added a solo homer in the ninth, and finished 2-for-3.

Right-hander David Edwards (2-1) took the loss for JMU, surrendering five runs in 1 2/3 innings.

The win for Radford was the third straight in the series over JMU, and fourth in the last five.

Radford returns to Big South action for a three-game series at Presbyterian, beginning Friday at 3 p.m.