Baseball 2/25/2016 3:00:00 PM

RADFORD TRAVELS TO GEORGIA SOUTHERN FOR A FOUR-GAME SERIES

Follow @RadfordBaseball

RADFORD, Va. – After watching two late inning leads slip away in the opening series versus Mercer, Radford returns to the Peach State, looking to pick up their first win of the 2016 season. The series against the Eagles will consist of three nine-inning games and one seven-inning affair. On Saturday, the two teams will play a nine-inning contest in game one of the doubleheader with a seven-inning game to follow.

SETTING THE STAGE
- Series: Georgia Southern leads 2-1
- Location: J.I. Clements Stadium (Statesboro, Ga.)
- Video
- Audio
- Live Stats
- Tickets
- Series Notes (Radford | Georgia Southern)

ON THE BUMP
Friday, Feb. 26 – 7 p.m.
RHP Dylan Nelson (0-0, 1.80) vs. LHP Evan Challenger (0-1, 7.20)
Saturday, Feb. 27 – 3 p.m.
LHP Zack Ridgely (0-0, 5.79) vs. RHP Chase Cohen (0-0, 0.00)
Saturday, Feb. 27 – 6 p.m.
LHP Mitchell MacKeith (0-0, -.--) vs. RHP Lawson Humphries (0-0, -.--)
Sunday, Feb. 21 – 1 p.m.
RHP Austin Ross (0-1, 7.36) vs. RHP Brian Eichhorn (0-0, 2.25)

LAST MEETING

Georgia Southern collected two, 7-6, walk-off wins over Radford in the doubleheader on Feb. 25, 2012. Radford plated three runs in the top of the ninth, taking a 6-4 lead, but the Eagles countered with three runs of their own for the walk-off win. In game two, the Eagles loaded the bases in the bottom of the 11th, earning another walk-off win on a bases loaded walk.
The doubleheader saw Matt Hillsinger lead the Highlanders with six hits and one RBI. Matt Mack contributed four hits and two RBI in the two losses.
Radford salvaged the series with a 5-4 win in game three, highlighted by a two-run single off the bat of freshman Josh Gardiner in a four-run fourth inning. In the win, Jeff Maxwell earned his first save as a Highlander.

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

Record: 0-3
Radford dropped a three-game series to Mercer to open the 2016 season. The first two games of the series were high-scoring affairs, as both teams combined for 32 runs. In the series, each team collected 27 hits a piece.
Shane Johnsonbaugh got off to a fast start to open the season, hammering two solo home runs, while collecting three RBI in a 10-7 loss to Mercer on Opening Day. The three RBI give Johnsonbaugh 14 career multi-RBI games.
In the three game series, several Highlanders finished with four hits; including Chris Coia, Danny Hrbek, Colby Higgerson, Luke Wise.
With two multi-hit games, Coia has 44 in his Radford career. Coia has reach base safely in his last 20 games, dating back to the 2015 season.
Showing their youth, four different Highlanders collected their first collegiate hits versus Mercer.
Making the most of his first two starts in a Radford uniform, Chandler Davis went 3 for 6 with a double and two RBI.
RU flashed its speed against Mercer, going 4 for 6 on the bases paths. Higgerson led the way, collecting two steals in the series.
Dylan Nelson turned in a strong showing on Opening Day; allowing only one earned run and three hits, earning a no-decision in a five-inning effort on Feb. 19.
Zack Ridgely struckout five batters in an 8-7 decision to Mercer on Feb. 20. Ridgely now has a career 7.34 strikeout per nine inning average.

SCOUTING GEORGIA SOUTHERN

Record: 1-3
The Eagles opened their season on the road, taking on in-state foe Georgia. In the three-game series, Georgia Southern collected its first win on the season in a 5-3 game two victory. The win came in 10 innings as a two-run home run off the bat of Ryan Cleveland clinched the win for the Eagles.
Georgia Southern played its second extra inning contest on the season on Feb. 24, dropping a heartbreaking 6-5 loss to Georgia Tech in a 16-inning titanic struggle.
Struggling offensively in the Georgia series, that saw only 14 hits and seven runs, the Eagles pumped out 12 hits and five runs in the 16-inning loss to Georgia Tech.
Logan Baldwin finished 4 for 7 with two runs scored in the loss to Georgia Tech, after going 1 for 8 in the Georgia series.
In the first four games on the season, Georgia Southern has left 29 runners on base.
Off to a fast start to his college career, CJ Ballard has collected six hits in his first 20 collegiate at bats, striking out only three times.
The Eagles received a strong showing from their rotation on opening weekend. Chase Cohen tossed five scoreless innings, allowing one hit while striking out seven in the win over Georgia. With the performance, Cohen earned Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week honors.
In four starts, Georgia Southern pitchers have thrown 19 innings, allowing only six earned runs for a 2.84 ERA.
Opposing batters are hitting a dismal .176 off Eagle pitchers, including a .155 average versus a lights out Eagles' bullpen.

UP NEXT

Radford hosts Hartford, March 4-6, for the first of seven weekend series at RU Baseball Stadium.
The series is three of only seven home contests the Highlanders will play in March.
In 2011, the Highlanders swept the Hawks in a three-game series, marking the first meeting between the two programs.

Print Friendly Version