TWIN BILL SWEEP GIVES RU A SIX-GAME WINNING STREAK

BOX SCORE RADFORD, Va. - Radford swept the first two games of a Big South series Saturday in a doubleheader over Winthrop. The first game went 13 innings with the Highlanders posting two runs in the bottom to win 6-5, and the nightcap saw Radford score 11 straight runs after falling behind 6-0 to win 11-7. The victories were the fifth and sixth consecutive for the Highlanders.

GAME ONE - The longest game of the season for either team, the Eagles and Highlanders battled for 13 innings before Radford came away with a walk-off win.

Radford's closer, Michael Costello (2-0) worked well beyond his normal relief duty going 5.2 innings and giving up four hits. He surrendered a run in the top of the 13th, but was the benefactor of his team's rally for a pair of runs in the bottom of the 13th to earn the victory.

The Highlanders rallied and won the game on a Jeff Kemp bases loaded walk with one out. Patrick Marshall, who delivered a clutch pinch-hit RBI double came across with the winning run. The inning began as if the Eagles were going to hold on for the victory.

Blake Sipe was in a 1-2 hole when Winthrop closer Eric Ruth injured his leg on the pitching delivery. Ruth had come on in the 12th to retire a pair of Highlander batters with a runner in scoring position and looked to be in line for the victory after Chad Smith singled home a go-ahead run in the top of the 12th.

Sipe popped up to begin the inning after Jared Keels (0-2) was forced to come into the game after the Ruth injury. Keels then hit pinch-hitter Shane Johnsonbaugh with a pitch before Marshall's clutch hit. An intentional walk to Josh Gardiner and a single that loaded the bases by Josh Reavis set up the Kemp walk-off walk.

Winthrop got to RU starter Tyler Costello in the first inning. Jace Whitley tripled and scored on a single by Clay Altman. Max Vogel executed a squeeze bunt for an RBI to score Cody Dolan to stake WU to a 2-0 lead.

The Highlanders cut the lead in half on a Kemp sacrifice fly in the third and then took the lead with a couple runs in the fifth.

Reavis drove in a run on a groundout, and the Highlanders took the lead when Gardiner scored on a wild pitch.

Smith tied the game for the Eagles in the sixth with a sac fly and then did it again in the eighth after Radford had retaken the lead in the seventh. The Highlanders scored their fourth run of the game in the seventh on a Ryan Burgess sac fly.

The win was the fifth straight for the Highlanders. Neither starter, Tyler Costello for Radford and Matt Pierpont for Winthrop, factored in the decision.

GAME TWO - Winthrop exploded for six runs on five hits in the second inning and knocked Radford starter, Michael Boyle out of the game after logging just 1.1 innings. But the Highlanders responded with four in the second and 11 straight overall to post the 11-7 win.

The Eagles took the lead when Jace Whitley walked to lead off the second and came in to score on an RBI single by Austen Barber. Michael Patrick knocked in two runs with a double, and Leighton Daniels plated two more with a single. Clay Altman drove in the final run of the inning with a double down the left field line.

Radford responded right away in the bottom of the inning. Hunter Higggerson's two-run double got the Highlanders on the board. Blake Sipe followed with an RBI double, and Josh Gardiner drove in the fourth run of the inning with a triple.

Jeff Kemp tied the game in the fifth with a towering home run to left field. It was his seventh home of the season.

Chris Coia's RBI single in the sixth gave Radford the lead for good. Josh Reavis and Kemp each provided RBIs, and Gardiner scored on a fielders' choice in the four-run inning for RU. Sipe's RBI groundout in the eighth made it 11-6 for the Highlanders.

Daniels added a run-scoring single in the ninth to round out the scoring.

Ryan Meisinger (2-0) earned the victory after replacing Boyle. He worked 5.2 innings and gave up just two hits while striking out four. Winthrop starter Sam Kmiec (1-4) took the loss after going 5.0 innings and giving up nine runs, six of them earned.

Radford (18-11, 6-2) and Winthrop (10-21, 2-6) will complete the series Sunday at 2:00.

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