NELSON'S STRONG OUTING AND 9 STRAIGHT RUNS LEADS TO RU SERIES CLINCHER

Saturday, March 28

Buies Creek, N.C.

4:00 PM

Radford University

14-11, 4-1

Campbell

20-7, 4-4

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Radford	0	0	0	0	3	6	0	0	0	9	11	0
Campbell	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	3	3

Photo by: RUHighlanderPhotos.com

NELSON'S STRONG OUTING AND 9 STRAIGHT RUNS LEADS TO RU SERIES CLINCHER

3/28/2015 8:03:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

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BUIES CREEK, N.C. - For the second straight day, Radford got a strong starting pitching performance, this time from Dylan Nelson, and defeated Campbell at Jim Perry Stadium. The Highlanders rallied from a 2-0 deficit to score nine straight runs and clinch the series victory over the Camels, 9-2. Nelson (3-2) went 7.1 innings and gave up two runs on three hits.

After Brian Taylor gave Campbell its first lead of the series with a two-run home run in the second inning, Nelson responded by retiring the next 13 batters he faced to keep the Highlanders within reach. His offense repaid him with three runs in the fifth and six more in the sixth to take control of the game.

"We got another great start from a weekend pitcher and then took advantage of some miscues to put up a couple big innings," Radford head coach Joe Raccuia said. "Nelson kept putting up zeroes to give us a pretty clean conference win."

Radford rallied to take the lead for good in the fifth. Patrick Marshall's two-run single tied the game, and Hunter Higgerson followed with a single to give RU a 3-2 edge. Nelson rewarded his teammates by mowing down the Camels in order in the bottom half of the inning.

The Highlander offense broke the game wide open in the sixth. Chris Coia's sacrifice bunt was misplayed by the CU defense and helped set up the big inning. None of the six runs that came across for Radford in the inning were earned, and they all came with two outs. Shane Johnsonbaugh knocked in a pair with a single, and Marshall drove in another run with a base hit. Hunter Higgerson then beat out an infield single to plate a run, and Danny Hrbek drove in two with a single through the right side.

Higgerson finished the day 3 for 4 with two RBI and a run scored. Marshall (2-4), Brad Keen (2-4), and Hrbek (2-5) all recorded multi-hit games. Marshall's three RBI were a team high.

"We struggled early offensively, but got some big two-out hits from Marshall, Higgerson, Johnsonbaugh, and Hrbek that got us going at the plate," Raccuia said.

With the win, Radford improves to 14-11 on the season and 4-1 in the Big South. Campbell falls to 20-7, 4-4. The two teams will play the series finale on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.