HIGHLANDERS AND KEYDETS SPLIT DOUBLEHEADER, RU TAKES SERIES

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LEXINGTON, Va. - Radford and VMI split a Saturday doubleheader at Gray-Minor Stadium in the final two games of the Big South opening series for both teams. RU won Friday's game one and take the series from the Keydets. The Highlanders won the first game Saturday, 5-1 with a quality start from Ryan Meisinger. VMI rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth to salvage the nightcap.

GAME ONE • Radford 5, VMI 1

Meisinger (2-0) went 5.1 innings and gave up just a single run on three hits to earn the victory. Alexander Lee remained hot at the plate going 3-4 with a pair of runs scored, including his first triple of the season. Blake Sipe (2-4) collected a couple hits and drove in a run with a double. Patrick Marshall, Chris Coia, and Josh Gardiner also drove in runs.

Kyle Zurak worked 1.2 innings of scoreless relief before Michael Costello closed out the final two innings in a non-save opportunity.

GAME TWO • VMI 9, Radford 8

VMI rallied for two unearned runs with two outs in the ninth to escape with the final game of the series. With two outs and no Keydets on base, Coia's throwing error at shortstop gave VMI life, and the Keydets took advantage.

Nygeal Andrews (1-3) took the loss on the mound after 2.2 innings of relief. He gave up three runs in all with just one earned. VMI cut an RU 8-6 lead to 8-7 in the eighth before the ninth inning rally.

Radford broke out to a 5-0 lead. Coia, Sipe, and Aaron Scoville each singled home runs in the second inning to give starter Mitchell MacKeith an early lead.

VMI answered with a single run in the bottom of the second and five more in the third to take a 6-5 lead and chase MacKeith. Daniel Bridgeman stopped the bleeding and logged 3.1 innings of scoreless relief and set to earn his first victory of the season had the Highlanders held on to the lead.

Lee, Coia, and Sipe each collected two hits on the game. Coia and Sipe each drove in two runs.

"We had multiple chances to close out this series with a sweep," Radford head coach Joe Raccuia said. "This one hurts. We will be a really good team when we learn how to finish games the right way."

Radford remains on the road Tuesday for a non-conference tilt at Virginia Tech. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m. at English Field in Blacksburg.

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