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Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
Brad Keen
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5
Liberty LIBERTY 13-7, 0-1 BSC
9
Winner Radford RAD 10-10, 1-0 BSC
Liberty LIBERTY
13-7, 0-1 BSC
5
Final
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Radford RAD
10-10, 1-0 BSC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Liberty LIBERTY 0 0 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 5 9 0
Radford RAD 0 3 1 0 1 1 2 1 X 9 12 1

W: Boyle, Michael (3-2) L: BEAN, Parker (2-2) S: Meisinger, Ryan (4)

Game Recap: Baseball |

HIGHLANDERS ROLL PAST LIBERTY IN BIG SOUTH OPENER

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RADFORD, Va. - Danny Hrbek and Brad Keen each hit their first career home runs, and eight batters in the Radford (10-10, 1-0) lineup had at least one base hit as the Highlanders topped rival Liberty (13-7, 0-1), 9-5, in the Big South season opener for both teams at RU Baseball Stadium. Michael Boyle (3-2) earned the victory, and Ryan Meisinger recorded his fourth save in the win.

Keen gave the Highlanders the lead with an RBI double in the second inning and then scored RU's third run of the inning on a wild pitch. Sandwiched between was a Chris Coia run-scoring groundout as Radford built a 3-0 lead for Boyle.

The Flames responded with three in the top of the third. Alex Close walked with the bases loaded to drive in a run, and Andew Yacyk lined a single off Boyle's non-throwing arm to plate two more runs. Boyle received attention from RU's training staff, but stayed in the game. He finished the night with 7.0 innings pitched, allowing eight hits and five runs. He walked just that one batter and struck out seven.

"Especially in conference play, your Friday night guy has to compete," RU head coach Joe Raccuia said. "Michael did that tonight. It's great to have a guy that's not afraid to battle in the front end of the rotation even on a night when he didn't have his best stuff."

Despite allowing the Flames to tie the game in the top half, Patrick Marshall's RBI double in the bottom of the third again gave RU the lead, 4-3. Yet again though, Liberty would tie the game immediately. Becker Sankey led off the inning with a double and eventually scored on a wild pitch to even the contest.

Hrbek's first RBI of the night, a two-out single in the fifth, gave Radford the lead for good. Keen's solo blast in the sixth made it 6-4, which provided the extra cushion the RU pitching staff would need. Will Shepherd's solo homer for the Flames in the seventh only cut the lead in half. Hrbek then provided the game's biggest hit, a two-run shot over the right field fence in the bottom of the seventh to give RU an 8-5 lead. A Josh Reavis run-scoring single in the eighth was the final run of the night.

Daniel Bridgeman relieved Boyle and logged two outs in the top of the eighth before Meisinger entered to get a four-out save striking out three of the five batters he faced.

"Our pen did a nice job, and we got timely hits," Raccuia said. "We pitched and played clean defense, and that is a recipe for winning baseball."

Hunter Higgerson finished the night 3 for 5 at the plate with a double as well for the Highlanders. Dalton Britt was 3 for 4 with a run scored for the Flames.

The two teams will play the middle game of the series on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.
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