BOX SCORE

AUBURN, Ala. – Matt Hillsinger hit a leadoff homer in the top of the 13th, three Radford relievers combined for 7 2/3 scoreless innings, and the Highlanders rallied from a 5-0 deficit to beat Auburn 8-6 in the first game of a three-game series on Friday.

Right-handed relievers Brad Wimmer, Abram Williams and Jason Patten combined to keep the Auburn bats at bay for the final seven-plus innings, allowing just five hits and striking out six. Patten worked the final three innings to earn his first win.

“I can't say enough about what Wimmer, Williams and Patten did,” head coach Joe Raccuia said. “And I'm so proud of what Jason did, because he's battled for a over a year, and he was lights out and pumping strikes.”

Hillsinger's homer was his first of the season, giving the Highlanders (3-1) a 7-6 lead in the 13th. Alex Guerra followed Hillsinger's swat with a double, and Jake Taylor's squeeze bunt brought him home to give Radford insurance.

Cory Turner was 3-for-4 for the Highlanders and Matt Mack was 3-for-5, hitting a ninth-inning one-out single through the right side to score Guerra from second and complete the rally, making it a 6-6 game.

“Our guys expect to play well,” Raccuia said. “We battled back, put ourselves in a position to win. There were timely hits all the way up and down the order. And though we didn't play exceptionally well, we did enough to win a baseball game on the road.”

The Highlanders banged out 16 hits to Auburn's 15.

The Tigers (3-2), who were ranked No. 23 in the Collegiate Baseball Writers' Preseason Poll, led 5-0 through four innings.

Justin Hargett led the Tigers at the plate, going 3-for-7 with three RBIs. Brooks Beisner scored three runs, going 3-for-4.

Zach Blatt, who worked the final three innings for the Tigers, took the loss (0-1).

Radford starter Eddie Butler lasted 5 1/3 innings, striking out five while allowing four earned runs on nine hits.

The series resumes tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m., Eastern.