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BASEBALL CONTINUES LEAGUE PLAY, HOSTS NO. 25 COASTAL CAROLINA

RADFORD vs. No. 25 COASTAL CAROLINA | Series Notes
March 30-April 1 | RU Baseball Stadium
RU in 2012: 14-11 (3-0, Big South) | Streak: L1 | Last 10: 7-3
Friday, 6:30 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Audio
RHP Eddie Butler (2-1, 3.07) vs. RHP Josh Conway (2-1, 1.09)
Saturday, 4:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Audio | Big South Network
RHP Tyler Costello (4-0, 1.34) vs. RHP Tyler Herb (4-1, 1.98)
Sunday, 2:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Audio | Big South Network
RHP Mark Peterson  (0-1, 6.75) vs. LHP Ben Smith (0-1, 4.21)
NOTE: All Big South Network webcasts are available depending on weather.  Check with RadfordAthletics.com for the latest on broadcast schedule updates.
Radford hosts a ranked team for the first time this season and wraps up a stretch of four home weekends in a row when the Highlanders welcome No. 25 Coastal Carolina for a three-game Big South weekend series.
 
This weekend's visit marks the second time in as many visits to Radford that Coastal has been ranked in the nation's top 25 – the Chanticleers were fourth when they last played in Radford in 2010.
 
The Highlanders are in search of their first win against Coastal in seven tries – the two teams have met in each of the last three Big South Tournaments.
 
Since March 4, the Highlanders are 11-4 and 7-3 over their last 10 games entering the weekend.   Over the stretch of 15 games, team numbers have been impressive for Radford: the Highlanders have posted a .299 average, outscored opponents 100-58, fielded at a .984 clip, posted a team 3.45 ERA and limited opponents to a .257 average.   In their Big South-opening series last weekend, Radford outscored UNC Asheville 27-2 en route to a three-game sweep.
 
Highlighting the upcoming weekend are starting pitching matchups – on Friday, Radford righty Eddie Butler squares off against Coastal right-hander Josh Conway.   Butler was sharp in six innings last Friday, and limited Asheville to a run over six innings while throwing just 63 pitches.  Conway was named Big South Preseason Pitcher of the Year and leads Big South starters with a 1.09 ERA in five starts.   On Saturday, Radford's Tyler Costello matches up with Tyler Herb – Costello has worked 26 straight scoreless innings dating back to March 4 at UNC Greensboro, and looks for his fifth win.  Herb has a 4-1 record and 1.98 ERA (7th, Big South), just behind Costello's 1.34 ERA (4th).
 
Matt Hillsinger, the reigning Big South Player of the Week, leads Radford offensively into the weekend with his .368 average (5th, Big South), five home runs (T-2nd) and 24 RBIs.  Hillsinger has 106 career RBIs, most among active Highlanders and 10th in school history.
 
WEEKEND NOTEBOOK
  • The Highlanders enter the weekend 54-25 at home since the start of the 2009 season
  • Radford's .982 fielding percentage is tied for second in NCAA Division I with top-ranked Florida, one point behind national leader Sacramento State (.983)
  • The last time Radford opened league play 3-0, it followed a sweep of UNC Asheville in 2010
  • Radford last hosted a ranked team on April 19, 2011 when No. 1 Virginia played at RU Baseball Stadium
  • Jeff Kemp's five triples this season are third in the nation, and two away from matching Radford's single-season record of seven set by Stuart Ritchie in 2004
  • Kemp has exceeded his RBI total of 24 from 2011, and on pace to set a career high (36 in 49 games in 2009)
  • Matt Mack has hit in 12 straight games (16-for-48, .333), and in 12 of 13 games since returning to the lineup on March 7
  • Mack has reached base in 18 games in a row, dating back to the second game of the season at Samford (Feb. 18)
  • Jason Patten and Abram Williams have three saves each this season – Patten and Williams have a combined 40 career saves and both rank in the Big South's career top 10 [Patten – 18 (T-7), Williams – 22 (T-4)]
  • Josh Gardiner enters the weekend tied for ninth in the country with nine sacrifice hits
  • As a pitching staff, the Highlanders allowed only two earned runs in 41 innings from March 20-25 (prior to Tuesday's game at ETSU)
  • Tyler Costello ranks 34th in the nation in ERA entering the weekend
  • Mark Peterson's 11 strikeouts in eight innings against UNC Asheville were a career-best – Peterson threw 68 strikes on 98 pitches last Sunday
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