RADFORD, Va. – Winthrop jumped out to a nine-run lead through five innings and got seven strong frames of work from right-handed starter Wade Newman to hand Radford a 12-3 loss in the first game of a Big South baseball series on Friday afternoon at Radford University Baseball Field.

After going ahead 1-0 in the first inning, the Eagles (15-8, 6-1 Big South) added two more in the second on third baseman Bryn Henderson's two-run homer to left field, upping the advantage to 3-0. With a 6-1 lead in the fifth, Winthrop got its second long ball of the day with two outs on designated hitter Eddie Rohan's three-run drive over the left field fence to cap a four run frame, extending the lead to 10-1.

Backing the offensive outburst was Newman's work on the hill, allowing two runs on nine hits over seven innings to earn the win (2-1). Despite four walks and no 1-2-3 innings, Newman tossed five scoreless frames and stranded 10 Radford base runners.

Rohan led the Eagles with a 4-for-6 afternoon and three RBI, and first baseman Eddie Tisdale added a 3-for-4 day with two driven in. Outfielder Cam Walters, catcher John Murrian and Henderson contributed two hits apiece.

Radford (8-10, 2-3) got two hits each from freshman second baseman Brett Mollenhauer (Roanoke, Va./Hidden Valley), senior first baseman Alex Gregory (Great Falls, Va./Paul VI) and senior left fielder Mario Duarte (Tampa, Fla./Gaither). Freshman shortstop Jeff Kemp (Bowie,Md./Archbishop Spalding) drew three walks and Duarte had a pair.

The Highlanders had single run innings in the fourth, seventh and eighth innings, and Mollenhauer hit his first career homer to lead off the bottom of the seventh.

Junior right-hander Aerik Taylor (Williamsport, Md./Williamsport) took the loss for Radford (2-3), allowing four runs over three innings.

The series resumes tomorrow at 11 a.m. Game 3, originally scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m., has been pushed back to a 1 p.m. first pitch on Sunday.