Photo by: Lora Gordon (Radford University)
RADFORD BASEBALL SET FOR STADIUM GRAND OPENING, VMI SERIES
4/7/2011 1:32:16 PM | Baseball
SERIES NOTES
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RADFORD vs. VMI
April 8-10 | RU Baseball Stadium RU in 2011: 16-12 (2-4 Big South) | Last 10: 6-4 | Streak: L1 Friday, 6:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio RU RHP Eddie Butler vs. VMI RHP Coby Cowgill Saturday, 4:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio RU RHP Mark Peterson vs. VMI TBA Sunday, 2:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio RU RHP Bobby Bolling vs. VMI TBA WEEKEND PROMOTIONS Friday - Grand Opening Night
* RU Baseball Rally Rags to the first 1,200 fans * Free hot dog & drink to the first 200 students *Boy Scout Night * Post-game autograph session Saturday - Fire and Safety Day * Local Fire Departments, Rescue Squads, Police on hand * Vehicles and educational items in parking lot before and during the game |
OPENING NIGHT INFORMATION
Radford will host the Grand Opening weekend of its new baseball stadium and play at home for the first time since March 20 when the Highlanders host VMI in the first of a three-game series on Friday at 6 p.m.
The Highlanders, who have played at home just six times in 2011 (6-0 record), play the first home night game in program history on Friday in a new 700-seat stadium, which is expected to be filled to capacity for the Grand Opening.
Festivities begin at 5 p.m. with games and activities for children, fans and students, continuing with the 6 p.m. game time, and concluding with a post-game autograph session.
Among the guests at Friday's game will be Scott Gines, former head coach at both Radford and VMI. Gines helped launch the Radford program to success during his seven years (1988-1994), posting three winning seasons and earning Big South Coach of the Year honors in 1989. He also led the Highlanders to their finest season, 1993, where Radford went 29-14 overall and was a win away from reaching NCAA Regionals. Gines also coached at VMI from 1995-2000. During his career, Gines coached both Radford skipper Joe Raccuia (1994 season) and VMI coach Marlin Ikenberry (1995 season). Gines is a graduate of VMI.
Entering the weekend, both teams are looking to improve to the .500 mark or better in Big South play – the Highlanders (16-12, 2-4 Big South) took two of three at Presbyterian last weekend to get back on track, while the Keydets (14-14, 4-5) dropped two of three at home against Gardner-Webb last weekend. Over the last two seasons, Radford has taken five of six games from VMI, including a sweep the last time the two teams met in Radford (April 17-19, 2009).
In the league's preseason poll, Radford and VMI were picked in a tie for fifth place.
Both teams enter Friday's game following losses to in-state ACC programs – the Highlanders dropped a 2-0 decision at top-ranked Virginia on Tuesday while Virginia Tech downed VMI 11-2 in Lexington on Wednesday night.
Radford baseball alum Nachion Moore (2006-09) will make his return on Friday as well – Moore is the Volunteer Assistant Coach for the Keydets.
WEEKEND NOTEBOOK:
• Friday night's game begins an eight-game homestand for the Highlanders, which includes Big South sets against VMI and Winthrop (April 15-17), and midweek contests against ACC opponents Virginia Tech (April 12) and Virginia (April 19)
• The Highlanders are 6-0 at home in 2011 and 37-16 over the past three seasons
• Head coach Joe Raccuia enters the weekend five victories away from his 100th at Radford – Raccuia is in his fourth season
• Through Tuesday night's action, Matt Hillsinger's .408 batting average remains second in the Big South
• Hillsinger's team-best 11-game hitting streak was stopped in the loss at Virginia on Tuesday, despite reaching base to lead off the ninth inning
• Hillsinger is tied for the Big South lead with 19 steals and ranks fifth in the country
• As a team, the Highlanders are second in the Big South in stolen bases (54) and 19th in the nation in that category
• Matt Mack's .385 average is fifth in the conference
• Mack is second in hitting in Big South play, at .458 (11-for-24) through six games
• Radford has 13 quality starts (6 IP, 3 ER or less) from its three weekend starters - Bobby Bolling (5) Mark Peterson (5) Eddie Butler (3)
• Bolling is second in the league with his 48 strikeouts and third with a 2.31 ERA
• Butler is third in the conference, in league games, in opponents' batting average at .175
• Abram Williams continues to the lead the Big South with his seven saves, placing him 12th nationally – Williams needs two more to tie the school single-season mark of nine
• Radford remains the league leader in team fielding percentage at .972
Thursday, April 23
Sunday, April 12
Thursday, April 02
Saturday, March 21
