BOX SCORE BOX SCORE

RADFORD, Va.  – Matt Hillsinger homered and knocked in three runs, Brett Mollenhauer went 4-for-5 and drove in two, and Radford used big innings in the third and fifth to roll 16-1 over UNC Asheville in a Big South series opener on Friday night.
 
The Highlanders (12-10, 1-0 Big South) put eight runs on the board in the bottom of the third, then added six more in the fifth.  Eight of the starters in the lineup had hits, as Radford banged out 13.
 
Jeff Kemp went 2-for-3 with an RBI double in the first inning and a two-run triple in the third, and Josh Gardiner added RBI singles in the third and fifth innings as part of a 2-for-4 night.   Both Cory Turner and Carl Travers knocked in three runs.

"We played really well tonight," head coach Joe Raccuia said.  "Had a lot of RBI hits, and we fought for every at-bat early in the game.  [Ryan] Dull is a good pitcher - he had a chance to put us away in some two-strike at-bats and we really competed.  That eight run inning really took the life out of them."
 
Eddie Butler was sharp in six innings for the Highlanders to earn his second win (2-1) – Butler allowed a run on three hits, struck out three and didn't walk any hitters. 

"When you sit down for long periods of time like Eddie did tonight, you can really lose focus," Raccuia said.  "But Eddie maintained his composure and was sharp with good velocity and a lot of movement."
 
After going ahead on Kemp's double in the first, Radford exploded for eight in the third, sending 12 batters to the plate.   Kemp tripled in two runs with no one out, Turner roped a two-run double with one out to bring home two more, and Mollenhauer's two-run single with two outs gave Radford a 9-0 lead after three.
 
Hillsinger's homer (5) made it 10-0, then a six-run inning extended the rout in the fifth.  Radford sent 10 men to the plate, and Travers' bases-clearing double off the wall with two outs highlighted the inning, making the lead 16-0.
 
Thomas Bess had two of the three Asheville hits – Eli Miller hit a sixth inning sacrifice fly to give the Bulldogs (12-11, 3-1) their only run.   Asheville ace Ryan Dull struggled, allowing nine runs (six earned) on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings to take the loss (2-3).
 
The series is scheduled to resume with a doubleheader, weather permitting, at 1 p.m. on Saturday.