GAME 1 BOX SCORE | GAME 2 BOX SCORE

RADFORD, Va. – Radford rolled past Hartford with a 15-5 win in the first game and pieced together an eighth-inning rally for a 4-3 win in the second to sweep a doubleheader from the Hawks on Saturday afternoon in the home-opening games for the Highlanders.

Matt Mack and Matt Hillsinger each went 5-for-9 over the two games to lead the Highlanders (8-6) offensively.

Hartford dropped to 0-6-1 in 2011 with the losses.

“It's baseball – you're never as good as you think and you're never as bad,” head coach Joe Raccuia said. “Hartford really defended well in the outfield in the second game and we didn't hit as many balls over their heads as we did in the second game.

“We battled all day. Our position guys played well, we defended the field in an outstanding way and made some big time plays. Our pitching was good enough, and we did enough to win today.”

GAME 1: RADFORD 15, HARTFORD 5

Hillsinger went 5-for-6 and hit a grand slam in the seventh inning and Radford pounded out 20 hits on the way to the win.

Eddie Butler went seven shutout innings in his start for the Highlanders, striking out six while allowing just two hits to pick up his second win (2-0).

The Highlanders piled on eight runs in the first three innings off of Hartford starter Anthony Mannuccia (0-2). Hillsinger's RBI double with one out in the second inning capped a four-run fourth and extended Radford's lead to 5-0. Zach Costello's run-scoring double in the third made it an 8-0 lead.

Hillsinger's grand slam in the seventh was his third homer of the season, put the Highlanders ahead 13-0.

GAME 2: RADFORD 4, HARTFORD 3

Radford rallied with two eighth inning runs, and the Highlanders came from behind for the win.

After Hillsinger walked to lead off the eighth and stole second base, Hartford reliever Hunter Englehardt retired the next two men before Mack doubled to right to bring Hillsinger home and make it 3-3. Two batters later, Cory Turner dropped a bloop single into shallow left field to score Mack from second and make it a 4-3 Radford lead.

Abram Williams struck out the side in the ninth for his third save of the season.

Alex Gouin hit a two-run homer in the fifth, his first of the season, to give Hartford its only lead of the afternoon, a 3-2 advantage.

Mike Thatcher pitched effectively for Hartford in the second game, allowing three runs on five hits over seven innings. Englehardt took the loss (0-2).

Jake Quigg threw 2 2/3 innings of hitless relief for the Highlanders to earn his second win (2-0).

The series concludes tomorrow at 1 p.m.