ROCK HILL, S.C. – Aerik Taylor's (Williamsport, Md./Williamsport) seven innings, along with a seven-run sixth highlighted by Alex Guerra's (Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh) grand slam, lifted Radford to a 15-9 Big South win over Winthrop on Friday.

The game was the first nationally televised contest (ESPNU) in Radford program history.

Taylor struck out five and allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits on the way to his fourth win of the season (4-1) for the Highlanders (19-18, 7-6 Big South).   The righty set down the side in order in the third and wriggled out of jams in the second and seventh innings, limiting the Eagles (18-19, 6-7) to two runs each time.

Guerra's slam, his third homer of the season, came with two outs in the sixth.  Radford had a 5-2 lead following a two-run double from Tyren Rivers, and a Reggie Keen single that scored Rivers, but the Eagles walked the bases loaded and Guerra hit the first pitch over the wall in right field to give Radford a 9-2 lead.

Guerra finished 2-for-5 for the Highlanders.  Keen was 4-for-6, including a two-run homer, his third, in the ninth that capped the scoring.  He also scored three times and stole three bases.  

Matt Hillsinger was 1-for-4 with three RBIs, all coming on a bases-clearing double in the seventh, a four-run inning for the Highlanders.  Hillsinger also scored twice and stole a pair of bases.   Brett Mollenhauer went 3-for-5 and scored twice.

For Winthrop, Eddie Rohan was 2-for-3 with three RBIs while scoring twice.  Rohan had a run-scoring single in the second that tied the game at 2-2, and a two-run single in a five-run eighth, where the Eagles trimmed Radford's lead to 13-9.  

Right-handed starter Robert Lake, one of seven Winthrop pitchers, allowed four runs on seven hits in the loss (4-3).

Game two of the series is tomorrow at 4 p.m.