BOX SCORE BOX SCORE

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Matt Hillsinger hit a three-run homer in the first inning as part of a four-RBI night, Radford's bullpen provided four innings of scoreless relief to close out the game, and the Highlanders beat James Madison 8-3 on Tuesday night.

The start of the game was delayed nearly 2:30 by rain and lightning – first pitch was scheduled for 6:30 p.m., but the game did not begin until 8:51 p.m. and ended around midnight.

Hillsinger got the Highlanders (11-10) on the board first with his three run shot, his fourth of the season, and added an RBI single in the fifth – he finished the night 2-for-3. 

Jake Palese earned his third straight win (3-0), allowing only one earned run in five innings. Derrick Brewer and Jason Patten closed out the game with two scoreless innings each – Brewer didn't allow a hit and Patten struck out a pair to earn his third save.

“Kinda awkward tonight,” head coach Joe Raccuia said.  “There was the long rain delay, but we set the tone early and probably would have pulled away earlier if not for a drop in the first.   We wanted to play tonight and we had some energy – as team we made a commitment to seeing this one through the delay, and came out on the good end.”

JMU (5-15-1) dropped its 10th in a row – the Dukes tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the third on Colby Roberts' leadoff triple, followed by a sacrifice fly by Cole McInturff to tie the game.  The Dukes got a pair of unearned runs off a dropped fly ball in the bottom of the first.

In the fifth, the Highlanders broke the tie on Jeff Kemp's RBI triple, then made it 5-3 on Hillsinger's run-scoring single. 

In the ninth, the Highlanders  got a run on Daniel Wright's RBI single past a drawn-in infield, then added two more on a dropped fly ball when Wright and Cory Turner scored on what would have been the final out.

JMU lefty starter Aaron Hoover took the loss (0-2), allowing five runs in 4 1/3 innings.

Radford opens Big South play on Friday, hosting UNC Asheville at 6:30 p.m.