HIGHLANDERS DROP 8-6 DECISION TO AGGIES

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GREENSBORO, N.C. - Radford dug itself into an early 8-1 deficit Tuesday at North Carolina A&T, and the Highlanders' comeback came up short in an 8-6 loss to the Aggies at War Memorial Stadium. Hunter Higgerson highlighted the evening for RU with his first career home run, a two-run shot.

The home run for Higgerson capped a 4-4 night to lead the Radford offense. Chris Coia maintained his hot bat going 2-5 with a run scored. The pair were the only Highlanders to post multiple hits as RU put together nine hits as a team.

"We got beat by a team that played better than we did tonight," Radford head coach Joe Raccuia said. "They did a better job of getting key hits with runners in scoring position, and we gave them too many opportunities early by walking too many batters."

Radford broke open the scoring in the top of the second. Base hits by Nygeal Andrews, Higgerson, and Jordan Taylor led to a Blake Sipe sac fly to give RU a 1-0 lead, but indicative of the rest of the game, the Highlanders would not take further advantage of the scoring opportunity.

Freshman Austin Ross (0-1), who was making his first career start, allowed four runs in 2.0 innings. He gave up five hits and three walks in his Radford debut. The Aggies took advantage scoring four runs in the second and another four in the third that would prove to be all the scoring they would need.

Mitchell MacKeith replaced Ross on the mound and went 1.1 innings giving up four hits and four runs with a pair of bases on balls. Daniel Bridgeman, James Woods, and Michael Costello accounted for the final 5.2 scoreless innings on the mound.

Radford began chipping away at the A&T lead in the fifth.

Coia singled to lead off the inning. Aaron Scoville reached on a throwing error that plated Coia. Higgerson drove in a run with a base hit and another run came across on a fielder's choice. The A&T lead stood at 8-4.

Higgerson's homer came in the seventh, but the Highlanders would get no closer.

Radford (1-3) travels to Winston-Salem, N.C. this weekend to play in the Wake Forest Invitational. The Highlanders will face Missouri at noon on Friday.

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