Radford University
5-7
La Salle
5-5
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Salle | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 2 |
| Radford | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 8 | 9 | 0 |
BASEBALL BEATS LA SALLE IN HOME OPENER, 8-5
3/6/2012 7:23:00 PM | Baseball
RADFORD, Va. – Right-handed starter Keith Fritz went seven innings, Jeff Kemp drove in three runs, and Radford withstood a late rally to beat La Salle 8-5 in its home opener on Tuesday afternoon.
The Highlanders (5-7) won their second straight and third in the last four after scoring eight early runs to build an 8-2 lead. The Explorers (5-5) got a three-run homer from Marc Schoch in the eighth to close the gap before loading the bases in the ninth, but Radford escaped with the win.
“Sometimes guys get comfortable and they think everything is under control, but one pitch later it can turn around on you,” head coach Joe Raccuia said. “I know it's a lesson that needs to be learned.”
Daniel Wright added a 2-for-4 game with a two-run single in the third and Brett Mollenhauer knocked in a pair of runs for Radford. Abram Williams worked out of ninth inning trouble to earn his second save of the season.
Radford got on the board in the second when Mollenhauer's ground out scored Cory Turner, who singled to lead off. On the next play, Kemp hit a two-out double down the line in left field to plate two more runs and give the Highlanders a 3-1 lead.
La Salle got back two runs in the top of the third when George Smith Jr. doubled to the alley in left center to bring home Tony Negrin, and a Jeff Flax sacrifice fly scored Smith to cut the Radford advantage to a run, 3-2.
In the bottom of the third, the Highlanders scored five runs to go up 8-2. They took advantage of four straight hits to start the inning, along with two walks and a hit batter, and sent 10 men to the plate. Wright highlighted the scoring with his two-run single, which came with nobody out after the first three hitters reached.
Fritz made the lead stand for Radford, setting down 12 of the next 14 La Salle hitters from the fourth inning on.
“He threw really well today,” Raccuia said. “He had good command of the strikezone, peppered it pretty well and forced the action.”
La Salle righty Shane Petrellis, who made his first start of the season, took the loss (0-1) after allowing seven runs in 2 1/3 innings.
Game two of the midweek series is Wednesday at 4 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Fritz, Keith (2-1)
L: PETRELLIS, Shane (0-1)
S: Williams, Abram (2)
Batting:
2B: SMITH JR, George 1
HR: SCHOCH, Marc 1
RBI: FLAX, Jeff 1 ; SCHOCH, Marc 3 ; SMITH JR, George 1
SH: FLAX, Jeff 1
SF: FLAX, Jeff 1
Base Running:
RUNS: NORTON, Brendan 1 ; BARON, Kevin 1 ; SCHOCH, Marc 1 ; NEGRIN, Tony 1 ; SMITH JR, George 1
SB: NORTON, Brendan 1
HBP: KAMMLER, Adam 1
Batting:
2B: Mollenhauer, Brett 1 ; Kemp, Jeff 1
RBI: Mollenhauer, Brett 2 ; Kemp, Jeff 3 ; Hillsinger, Matt 1 ; Wright, Daniel 2
SH: Sipe, Blake 1
SF: Hillsinger, Matt 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Costello, Zach 1 ; Mollenhauer, Brett 1 ; Burgess, Ryan 1 ; Bondi, Phil 1 ; TURNER, Cory 2 ; Wright, Daniel 1 ; Sipe, Blake 1
SB: Hillsinger, Matt 1 ; Bondi, Phil 1 ; Sipe, Blake 1
HBP: Mollenhauer, Brett 1 ; Hillsinger, Matt 1 ; Sipe, Blake 1
PO: Costello, Zach 1
