RADFORD RALLY FALLS A RUN SHORT TO FIGHTING CAMELS

BOX SCORE RADFORD, Va. - Radford spotted Campbell a 5-0 lead in the Camels' first two at-bats and then rallied to leave the bases loaded in the ninth to drop a 5-4 decision Friday night at RU Baseball Stadium. The Highlanders had the bases loaded with no outs and pushed across two runs in the final frame, but stranded three on back-to-back strikeouts to end the game.

Ryan Koopman struck out three of the six Highlanders he faced to earn his second save of the season, but it did not come easily. With runners at first and second, Koopman was called on to save the game for starter Hector Cedano (4-0), who went 8.0 innings and gave up four runs, two earned, on four hits. Koopman gave up a single to pinch-hitter Shane Johnsonbaugh to load the bases and then hit Josh Reavis with a pitch to force in a run. He struck out Blake Sipe before hitting Danny Hrbek with a pitch to force in another run. With the tying and winning runs in scoring position and the top of the order coming to the plate, Koopman struck out Josh Gardiner and Chris Coia to end the game.

Campbell (25-14, 12-5) opened the game with a pair of runs in the first. Matt Nadolski singled home a run, and Matt Parrish doubled him home to give the Camels a 2-0 lead. Nadolski then lifted a Tyler Costello pitch over the right field fence in the second for a three-run blast to five CU its 5-0 lead that would barely hold up for the win.

Hunter Higgerson doubled and scored on a wild pitch in the second as Radford (19-17, 9-7) began to chip away at the lead. Gardiner's RBI double in the fifth made it 5-2, but the Camels turned three double plays on the night to thwart the RU offense before the ninth.

Costello (0-2) took the loss after going 6.1 innings and giving up nine hits and five runs. He struck out six and walked just one. James Woods retired the only batter he faced to help the RU defense get out of a jam in the seventh, and Kyle Zurak was impressive in 2.1 innings of relief giving up just one hit and striking out three.

The two teams have now split the first two games of the Big South series with the deciding game scheduled for Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

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