DOUBLEHEADER SPLIT LEADS TO SERIES WIN VS. MARSHALL

BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2 RADFORD, Va. - Radford and Marshall split a Saturday doubleheader at RU Baseball Stadium, 8-3 in RU's favor in the first game, and 5-4 for the Thundering Herd in the nightcap. With the split, the Highlanders earn the series victory after winning Friday's opener, 5-0. The Highlanders nearly completed the sweep rallying for two runs and leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth in the finale.

GAME 1 - Michael Boyle (3-1) worked 5.2 innings giving up just three hits and overcoming five walks to earn the victory. The Highlanders provided the support he would need with three runs in the third on four hits in the inning.

After Ryan Burgess and Alexander Lee opened with singles, Hunter Higgerson beat out a sacrifice bunt attempt for an infield single to load the bases. Blake Sipe earned an RBI base on balls to give the Highlanders a 1-0 lead. Josh Gardiner's sac fly plated the second run, and Josh Reavis drove in the final run of the inning with a single.

RU added a run in the fourth after Sipe tripled into the right field corner. Chris Coia grounded out to third, but drove in the run to give Radford a 4-0 lead. Gardiner's two-run single in the sixth gave RU a 6-0 lead, and Higgerson and Sipe each drove in a run in the seventh to make it 8-0.

The Highlanders missed their second straight shutout by a couple outs as Marshall rallied for three runs in the ninth.

Alex Thackston (0-1) only lasted 2.0 innings in taking the loss for Marshall.

GAME 2 - The Thurndering Herd scored all five of their runs in the first off Radford starter Mitchell MacKeith (0-1). In the inning, Marshall scored five runs on five hits and put up just enough runs to hold on for the victory.

The Highlanders began to chip away at the lead in the fourth when Zach Woolcock doubled down the left field line prior to a towering home run by Alexander Lee. Lee's first round-tripper of the season cut the lead to 5-2. The score would stay that way until the ninth.

With Josh King on in releif of Ryan Hopkins, who worked 2.0 innings in place of starter Michael Taylor (3-1), the Highlanders rallied, but came up one run shy of tying the game.

Lee singled to start the inning, and Shane Johnsonbaugh knocked a base hit through the left side with one out. A Josh Reavis single scored Lee followed by a Josh Gardiner base hit that plated Johnsonbaugh. Blake Sipe then walked to set up Jeff Kemp and Ryan Burgess with a chance to win it for the Highlanders. Kemp popped up in the infield, and Burgess grounded out to end the game.

Taylor earned the victory going 6.0 innings and giving up just four hits and a pair of runs.

The Highlanders (12-10, 2-1) will be back in action Tuesday at East Tennessee State for a 7:00 p.m. scheduled first pitch.

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