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2
Radford RAD 0-3
9
Winner Mercer MER 3-0
Radford RAD
0-3
2
Final
9
Mercer MER
3-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Radford RAD 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 5 2
Mercer MER 0 2 1 2 3 0 0 1 X 9 9 1

W: Coulter (1-0) L: Ross, Austin (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

RADFORD DROPS SERIES FINALE TO MERCER, 9-2



GAME INFORMATION
  • Score: Mercer 9, Radford 2
  • Records: Mercer (3-0) | Radford (0-3)
  • Location: Claude Smith Field | Macon, Ga.
                                      
MACON, Ga. – Radford was held scoreless for the first seven innings as Mercer completed the opening series sweep, 9-2, Sunday afternoon at Claude Smith Field.
 
RU looked to strike first for the third consecutive game as Trevor Riggs launched a deep fly ball into centerfield, but Kyle Lewis showed why he is a Golden Spikes Award Watch List member, robbing Riggs of a two-run home run in the top of the second.
 
Mercer used a Jose Hernandez double to left centerfield to set up a prime scoring opportunity with runners on second and third to start the bottom of the inning. Howard Joe broke the scoreless game with a bloop single into right field. Mercer's second run came on a Matt Meeder RBI groundout to second base.
 
The Bears added a run in the third and two in the fourth, taking 5-0 lead into the fifth inning.
 
Chandler Davis broke up Kevin Coulter's no-hit bid with a two-out infield single to third base in the top of the fifth inning.
 
Mercer added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth on a Ryan Hagan two-run double and Hernandez solo home run, controlling an 8-0 lead.
 
The Highlander bats started to get going in the top of the eighth, as Matt Roth reached on a pinch hit infield single. Luke Wise followed with an opposite field double to left, setting up runners in scoring position for Adam Whitacre. Whitacre made the most of his collegiate debut with a two-out, two-run pinch hit single up the middle, pulling Radford within 8-2 of Mercer.
 
The Bears added another run in the bottom of the eighth, taking a 9-2 series sweeping win over the Highlanders.
 
Radford returns to the Peach State on Friday, facing Georgia Southern in a four-game series, Feb. 26-28. The Highlanders are 1-2 versus the Eagles, with the last meeting coming in 2012.
 
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INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Win: Kevin Coulter (1-0)
  • Loss: Austin Ross (0-1)
  • Matt Roth and Adam Whitacre collected hits in their first collegiate at bats.
  • Chandler Davis has three hits in his first six Radford at bats.
  • Of RU's five hits, four came in the final three innings.
  • Making their Radford debuts on the mound; Ryan Sande and Brian Eckert combined for two innings pitched, two walks, one strikeout and one unearned run.
  • Highlander pitchers have combined for 21 walks and six hit batsmen in the first three games of the season.
  • Mercer was led by a three-hit, two-RBI day from Jose Hernandez. Also driving in two runs, Ryan Hagan finished the series with three RBI.
  • Coulter held the Highlanders hitless for 4.2 innings pitched. The freshmen finished with two strikeouts, walking two and allowing one hit in 5.2 innings pitched.

QUOTABLE
  • "Mercer's starter really only threw a couple pitches for strikes and they made some really good defensive plays. That created momentum for them and they really jumped on us. We got behind against a good team, which is hard to comeback from early in the season. We got some good at bats from our freshmen late in the game. If we keep giving them at bats against good teams, they won't be freshmen for much longer." ~ Radford head coach, Joe Raccuia

 
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