Baseball 3/21/2016 2:00:00 PM

NEW RIVER VALLEY SHOWDOWN: PART TWO

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RADFORD, Va. – The second edition of the New River Valley showdown comes to RU Baseball Stadium tomorrow as Radford hosts NRV foe Virginia Tech for a 5 p.m. meeting. The first edition of the Commonwealth clash between the two saw the Hokies put together an incredible comeback, taking a 4-3 victory in 10 innings. Radford looks to even the series as the two teams will meet one more time on April 12 in a neutral site contest at Calfee Park in Pulaski, Va. The Highlanders are 7-17 versus the Hokies on their home turf, with only two wins coming in the new millennium.

SETTING THE STAGE
- Series: Virginia Tech leads 42-12
- Location: RU Baseball Stadium (Radford, Va.)
- Video
- Audio
- Live Stats
- Game Notes (Radford | Virginia Tech)

ON THE BUMP
Tuesday, March 22 – 5 p.m.
RHP Nic Enright (0-0, 7.71) vs. LHP Tyler Swarmer (0-2, 5.09)

LAST MEETING

Radford received eight innings of shutout ball from Tyler Swarmer and Travis McQueen , but fell victims of a 4-3 comeback victory by Virginia Tech in 10 innings on March 1.
The Highlanders and Hokies were locked in a pitchers duel for five innings, as both teams combined for only three hits.
Swarmer allowed only two hits, while striking out three batters in five innings. McQueen followed with five strikeouts in three innings pitched.
RU scored two runs in the sixth on a Virginia Tech error and Shane Johnsonbaugh sacrifice fly.
An insurance run came in the top of the ninth as Danny Hrbek lined a double into left field, scoring Johnsonbaugh.
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 left field 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 on a towering home run to left-center field.
Looking to regain the lead in the 10^th inning, Chris 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 10^th, Tom Stoffel earned a walk and Scrietta lined a single into leftfield, putting Hokies 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.

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

Record: 4-16
Radford is coming off a weekend in which they won two out of three games, taking two versus USC Upstate and dropping one to Lafayette.
On Sunday, the Highlander offense finally caught fire rattling off 13 runs on 16 hits in a 13-2 win over USC Upstate.
Putting together a career day in the win was Kyle Butler. Butler went 3 for 5 at the plate with three doubles, six RBI and two runs scored.
Butler's three doubles are the most by a Highlander since Chris Coia collected three at Liberty on March 21, 2015.
The six RBI are the most by a Highlander since Hunter Higgerson drove in six on May 16, 2015.
Joining Butler with three hits, Coia collected his 12^th three-hit game of his career.
Putting together a strong weekend, Jonathan Gonzalez went 6 for 12 with four RBI in the three contests.
Two RU pitchers found themselves in unexpected roles as Travis McQueen was used as a pinch runner on March 19 and Nygeal Andrews served in a pinch hit role on March 20. McQueen came around to score his first run as a Highlander and Andrews went 1 for 2 with a RBI.
In three starts versus Power Five conferences, Tyler Swarmer has only allowed seven earned runs in 15.1 innings pitched. The senior southpaw has punched out eight batters in the three outings.

SCOUTING VIRGINIA TECH

Record: 10-11
The Hokies are coming into the NRV matchup on a six-game skid. Virginia Tech dropped a three-game conference series at No. 22 Georgia Tech this past weekend. Their last win came on March 11 in a 14-3 victory over No. 5 Miami.
Virginia Tech is 2-5 away from English Field to start the season.
The Hokie offense is still being powered by Phil Sciretta (.368), Saige Jenco (.329) and Tom Stoffel (.319).
Sciretta leads the way with 32 hits and 21 runs driven in. He is averaging 1.60 hits per game and 1.00 RBI per game.
The senior ranks in the Top 10 of several offensive categories in the ACC: hits (4th), RBI (7th) and batting average (10th).
Jenco ranks fourth with 17 walks and seventh with 21 runs scored.
Virginia Tech's bullpen has been a dominate force to begin the season, striking out 78 batters in 71.0 innings pitched.
Aaron McGarity and Connor Coward have been the bell cows of the Hokie bullpen. In nine appearances, McGarity has tallied 18 strikeouts in 10.1 innings. Also making nine appearances, Coward has collected 15 punch outs in 11.2 innings.
Nic Enright, a 19^th round selection by the New York Mets in the 2015 First-Year Player Draft, will make his fourth start of the season. In four appearances, Enright has allowed 12 earned runs in 14 innings. Opposing batters are hitting .305 off the freshman.

UP NEXT

Radford will have one of its fastest turnarounds of the season, traveling to in-state Big South foe Longwood on Thursday for a three-game series.
The series is set for March 24-26.
In 2015, Radford did not play Longwood in the regular season, but defeated the Lancers 5-3 in the first round of the Big South Tournament.
The Highlanders are 12-13 all-time versus the Lancers.

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