ROUGH DAY ON THE DIAMOND FOR HIGHLANDERS

BOX SCORE BLACKSBURG, Va. - Rider broke open a scoreless game with eight runs in the fourth inning and added two more in the seventh and three in the eighth to down Radford, 13-0, Friday afternoon at English Field.

In temperatures in the mid-30s, the Radford bats never heated up as the Highlanders scratched out six base hits, but left all six runners stranded on the basepaths for the day.

Ryan Burgess led the offensive attack going 3-3 at the plate and raising his season average over 140 points on the day. Chris Coia added a pair of singles, and Josh Gardiner had the Highlanders' remaining hit. All six hits were singles.

Rider starter Tyler Smith (2-0) worked 7.0 innings and scattered those six hits to go along with eight strikeouts and no free passes to earn the victory. Joe Calogero and Kyle Kennett each logged a perfect inning in relief with a strikeout.

Tyler Costello (1-1) took the loss for Radford. In 3.0 innings, he gave up seven runs on five hits after walking four Broncs. In the decisive fourth, Costello issued bases on balls to the first two batters and five consecutive hits later, he had given up seven runs. Jeff Maxwell came on in relief giving up one run on a home run to Ian Lindsay for Rider.

Maxwell worked 4.0 innings and gave up five hits and four runs total. Mitchell MacKeith got all three of his outs via the strikeout, but gave up three runs on two hits in his single inning of work. Tyler Swarmer gave up a hit but no runs in the ninth.

The loss is the second straight for the Highlanders after a five-game winning streak. Radford is now 5-3 on the season. Rider improves to 3-1.

The teams will play a doubleheader Saturday again at English Field in Blacksburg. First pitch is scheduled for noon.

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