Baseball 2/18/2016 9:00:00 AM

HIGHLANDERS OPEN 2016 SEASON AT MERCER

Follow @RadfordBaseball

RADFORD, Va. – The Radford baseball squad battled winterstorms and frigid temperatures in preparing for the 2016 season, but will finally get their chance to play in warmer weather, traveling to Macon, Ga. for a three-game non-conference series versus Mercer. The Highlanders and Bears won their respected conference regular season and tournament championships, while punching tickets to NCAA regionals.

SETTING THE STAGE
- Series: First meeting
- Location: Claude Smith Field (Macon, Ga.)
- Live Stats
- Series Notes

ON THE BUMP
Friday, Feb. 19 - 4 p.m.
RHP Dylan Nelson (0-0, -.--) vs. RHP Ryan Askew (0-0, -.--)
Saturday, Feb. 20 - 2 p.m.
LHP Zack Ridgely (0-0, -.--) vs. LHP Connor Herd (0-0, -.--)
Sunday, Feb. 21 – 1 p.m.
RHP Austin Ross (0-0, -.--) vs. RHP Kevin Coulter (0-0, -.--)

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

2015 Record: 45-16 (20-4 Big South)
The Highlanders are looking to build off their most successful season in program history, which included a program-best 45 wins, including 20 wins in Big South play.
Radford went 2-2 in the Nashville Regional, advancing to the regional final versus eventual national runner-up Vanderbilt.
RU lost six starters from 2015, but have the pleasure of returning four players with 30-plus starts.
The Highlander offense will be built around Shane Johnsonbaugh, Chris Coia and Danny Hrbek. The trio combined for 124 hits, 127 runs and 100 RBI last season.
Johnsonbaugh is the lone All-Big South performer returning to the RU lineup. The leftfielder put together his best season in a Highlander uniform, finishing with a .328 average, seven home runs and 45 RBI.
Radford's starting rotation consists of four strong arms, that combined for a 20-9 record and a 4.27 ERA during the 2015 season.
Dylan Nelson and Zack Ridgely highlight the experienced RU rotation. Nelson started 16 games in 2015, finishing with a 6-3 record and a 3.98 ERA. Ridgely compiled a 5-1 record in 17 contests, starting eight of them.
Stepping into the closer role for Radford will be Daniel Bridgeman. Bridgeman has been named to the 2016 NCBWA Preseason Stopper of the Year watch list. The 2015 season saw Bridgeman finish with a program record 0.57 ERA in 31.2 innings pitched.
Radford is 8-23 on Opening Day and 2-6 in season openers under head coach Joe Raccuia.

SCOUTING MERCER

2015 Record: 35-23 (16-7)
With the 35 wins, Mercer has reached the 35-win plateau in six straight seasons, becoming one of just nine programs nationally to achieve the feat.
Mercer was one of the hottest team in the country at the end of the 2015 season, winning 24 of its final 36 contests. During the span, the Bears hit for a .313 average.
The Bears' success may be attributed to its presence at the plate, finishing fifth nationally in home runs with 69.
Potential MLB First Round Draft pick and 2014 SoCon Player of the Year, Kyle Lewis returns to an upperclass driven Mercer squad. Lewis fell shy of earning the SoCon triple crown a season ago, leading the conference in batting average (.367) and home runs (17) while finishing fifth in RBI (56).
Lewis garners several 2016 preseason awards such as Perfect Game All-American First Team, D1Baseball.com Preseason All-American First Team and Louisville Slugger Preseason All-American Second Team honors.
The Bears possess a strong supporting cast around Lewis, returning four players with 40 or more RBI from a season ago.
Mercer only returns two pitchers with seven-plus starts from 2015. Ryan Askew leads the group with 11 starts, finishing with a 4-4 record and a 6.75 ERA in 49.1 innings pitched. Connor Herd appeared in 11 contests, starting seven, while finishing with a 2-2 record.
The 2015 season saw the Bears struggle at Claude Smith Field, finishing with a 16-15 record.

UP NEXT

Radford will return to the Peach State for a second consecutive weekend, traveling to Statesboro, Ga. for a four-game series versus Georgia Southern, Feb. 26-28.
In 2012, the Highlanders went 1-2 against the Eagles in the first meeting between the two programs.

Print Friendly Version