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Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
3
Radford RAD 1-7
4
Winner Virginia Tech VT 5-3
Radford RAD
1-7
3
Final
4
Virginia Tech VT
5-3
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E
Radford RAD 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 3 6 2
Virginia Tech VT 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 4 5 3

W: Aaron McGarity (1-0) L: Bridgeman, Daniel (0-2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

HIGHLANDERS FALL 4-3 IN EXTRAS TO VIRGINIA TECH IN NRV BATTLE



GAME INFORMATION
  • Score: Virginia Tech 4, Radford 3 (10 innings)
  • Records: Virginia Tech (5-3) | Radford (1-7)
  • Location: English Field | Blacksburg, Va.
                                      
BLACKSBURG, Va. –  Radford received eight innings of shutout pitching from Tyler Swarmer and Travis McQueen, but fell victims of a 4-3 comeback victory by Virginia Tech in 10 innings, Tuesday afternoon at English Field in the first meeting of the New River Valley Showdown.
 
The Highlanders and Hokies were locked in a pitchers duel for five innings, as both teams combined for only three hits.
 
Radford had an early opportunity to score as Danny Hrbek led off the top of the fifth with a double down the rightfield line, but was erased attempting to stretch the double into a triple. Zach York contributed a double of his own, but the Highlanders were unable to capitalize, stranding York on second base.
 
The Highlanders broke the game wide open in the top of the sixth as Adam Whitacre led off the inning with a hit by pitch, advancing to second a wild pitch. Following a Chris Coia strikeout, Luke Wise hit a slow rolling groundball to second base.
 
Wise's speed forced Hokies' second basemen Matt Dauby to make a hurried throw, ending up in the Radford dugout. The error scored Whitacre from second base, giving RU a 1-0 lead.
 
Another Hokie error put Colby Higgerson on first base and Wise on third base. Shane Johnsonbaugh followed with his second sacrifice fly of the year, extending Radford's lead to 2-0.
 
McQueen held the Hokie bats in check, striking out five in three innings of relief, sending RU into the ninth inning maintaining a 2-0 lead.
 
Radford added an insurance run in the ninth as Johnsonbaugh led off the inning with a walk, scoring on a Danny Hrbek double to leftfield.
 
Trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the ninth, Virginia Tech put together a miraculous comeback as Phil Sciretta led off the inning with a walk as Max Ponzurick followed with a home run down the leftfield line, just hooking inside the foul poll. The Ponzurick two-run home run pulled the Hokies within 3-2 of the Highlanders. RU closer Daniel Bridgeman retired the next two Hokie batters, before Dauby tied the game at three a piece on a towering home run to left-centerfield.
 
Looking to regain the lead in the 10th inning, Coia reached first on a throwing error by the Virginia Tech shortstop. A perfectly executed sac bunt by Wise, put Coia on second base with one out. RU was unable to advance Coia further, stranding him on second.
 
With two outs in the bottom of the 10th, Tom Stoffel earned a walk and Scrietta lined a single into leftfield, putting Hokie runners on first and third. Virginia Tech completed their comeback victory as Coia was unable to handle a Ponzurick groundball, scoring Stoffel from third base for the 4-3 walk-off victory on the error.
 
Radford will return to action on Friday, hosting Hartford in their home opener, set for 4 p.m. The Highlanders and Hawks meet for the second time in a three-game series. Radford earned a three-game sweep in 2011.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Win: Aaron McGarity (1-0)
  • Loss: Daniel Bridgeman (0-2)
  • Tyler Swarmer turned in his best outing as a Highlander, throwing five strong innings while allowing only two hits and striking out three Hokies.
  • Travis McQueen struckout a career-high five batters in three shutout innings of relief.   
  • Danny Hrbek extended his on-base streak to eight games and hitting streak to five games with a 3 for 4 effort at the plate.
  • Hrbek raised his team-leading batting average to .464, while collecting his 24th career multi-hit game
  • Radford and Virginia Tech combined for five errors. The Highlanders have only been errorless in one game on the season.

QUOTABLE
  • "[Tyler] Swarmer gave us a really good start. He pitched backwards and made some really good pitches, while competing like he always does. [Travis] McQueen backed up his last outing and has pitched really good out of the pen lately. We had opportunities to extend the lead, because no lead is safe against offenses like Virginia Tech. We deserved to be in a tight game, because of the way both teams played. Virginia Tech put a couple of more swings on the ball and made some plays that we didn't make."~ Radford head coach, Joe Raccuia

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