WALK OFF WIN KEEPS SEASON ALIVE FOR HIGHLANDERS

BOX SCORE ROCK HILL, S.C. - Brad Keen slid home just in front of the tag with the winning run as Radford (33-22) rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat Gardner-Webb, 5-4, in an elimination game Thursday at the Big South Baseball Tournament at Winthrop Ballpark. Danny Hrbek's pinch-hit ground ball to shortstop put the ball in play allowing Keen to reach home plate on the fielder's choice.

The rally was keyed by a leadoff single by Josh Gardiner and followed by a walk to Josh Reavis. Keen laid down a sacrifice bunt and reach on a fielding error by GWU pitcher Brad Haymes. On the throw to first to try and retire Keen, the ball got past first base, but Scott Coleman gathered and fired to the plate to get Gardiner, who was trying to tie the game. After Reavis tied the game scoring on a wild pitch, Alexander Lee was then intentionally walked to load the bases to set up the finishing play with Hrbek and Keen.

A back-and-forth game throughout the day, Gardner-Webb to the lead, 4-3, in the top of the ninth on a leadoff home run by Coleman. He lifted the first pitch thrown by Radford reliver Michael Costello over the left field wall to give the Runnin' Bulldogs the lead with three outs to get. It was the second time in the game that Gardner-Webb had taken the lead. JJ Nazzaro hit a two-out solo home run in the fifth to score the game's first run. The homer came off RU starter Dylan Nelson, who went 4.2 innings and gave up only the run on Nazzaro's round-tripper.

Radford answered back immediately in the bottom of the fifth when Gardiner plated two runs with a two-out double to give RU the lead, 2-1. GWU tied the game in the seventh only to have Radford again respond to take the lead. Chris Coia singled with the bases loaded to push the RU lead to 3-2. Nazzaro's RBI single made it 3-3 in the top of the eighth inning.

The Highlanders looked as though they would take the lead in the bottom of the eighth, but Hunter Higgerson was out at the plate on a safety squeeze attempt to keep the game tied and set up the dramatics in the ninth.

Daniel Bridgeman (4-2) recorded the final three outs in the top of the ninth replacing Costello and earning the win. Haymes (1-5) took the loss.

Radford advances to play Liberty on Friday evening in an elimination game. First pitch is set for 7:30 p.m.

Print Friendly Version