NELSON STRIKES OUT EIGHT IN 5-4 BIG SOUTH LOSS TO LONGWOOD

Friday, March 25

Farmville, VA.

5:00 PM

Radford University

5-18, 0-2

Longwood

13-10, 3-2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Radford	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	4	5	0
Longwood	1	0	1	1	2	0	0	0	X	5	8	0

NELSON STRIKES OUT EIGHT IN 5-4 BIG SOUTH LOSS TO LONGWOOD

3/25/2016 8:45:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

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GAME INFORMATION

Score: Longwood 5, Radford 4
Records: Longwood (13-10, 3-2) | Radford (5-18, 0-2)
Location: Buddy Bolding Stadium | Farmville, Va.

FARMVILLE, Va. – Dylan Nelson struckout a career-high eight batters as Radford was unable to manage a late inning comeback in a 5-4 loss to Longwood, Friday evening in Big South action at Buddy Bolding Stadium.

The Highlanders held the Lancers scoreless for the first seven innings a night ago. Longwood wasn't going to let that happen again as Sammy Miller led off the bottom half of the opening frame with a double down the leftfield line, scoring three batters later as Alex Lewis singled into shallow center field.

Radford's deficit was short lived as Trevor Riggs crushed a 1-0 fastball over the left field wall to kick off the top of the second. Jonathan Gonzalez extended his hitting streak to eight games with a single after the Riggs blast. One batter later, Kyle Butler drilled his fourth consecutive double into the left field gap, putting RU runners on second and third. A Luke Wise groundout, plated Gonzalez from third, giving the Highlanders a 2-1 lead.

Longwood would add four runs over the next three innings, highlighted by a two-run home run off the bat of Connar Bastaich. The Bastaich blast gave the Lancers a 5-2 lead after five innings.

Looking to battle back late in the contest, Chandler Davis led off the seventh with a walk. Wise followed with a double to right-center field, giving the Highlanders their first hit since the second inning, allowing Davis to score all the way from first base. The Wise double pulled RU within 5-3.

Following a wild pitch and Colby Higgerson walk, Radford placed runners on the corners with no outs. Chris Coia laid down a squeeze bunt to score Wise easily from third as the Highlanders made the score 5-4. With Higgerson standing on second, Radford was unable to push across the tying run.

Radford only managed one hit in the final two innings, a Kyle Butler single in the eighth inning, dropping a 5-4 decision to in-state foe Longwood.

The Highlanders will look to salvage the three-game series tomorrow with a 2 p.m. first pitch.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Win: Steven Farkas (1-1) (6 IP, 3 H, 2R/2ER, 3 BB, 5 K)
Loss: Dylan Nelson (0-5) (7 IP, 8 H, 5R/5ER, 1 BB, 8 K)
Nelson's eight strikeouts are the most by a Highlander starter this season. His previous career high of seven came on three different occasions, two in 2014 and one in 2015.
With the start, Nelson moves into fifth all-time in starts in program history, making his 44th career start. The senior ranks eighth in strikeouts with 154.
Radford pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts, matching a season-high set on March 1st at Virginia Tech.
Kyle Butler was the only Highlander with two hits, collecting his fourth double.
Luke Wise collected his second multi-RBI performance on the season.
Jonathan Gonzalez has the longest hitting streak of the season for the Highlanders at eight games.
Colby Higgerson and Gonzalez have reached base safely in eight consecutive games. Trevor Riggs follows with a seven-game streak.
Alex Lewis led Longwood with a 3 for 3 day with two RBI. Connar Bastaich finished with two hits and two RBI.
Longwood scored four runs with two-outs.

QUOTABLE

"We just didn't do enough to win. The opportunities were in front of us, but we didn't take advantage. Dylan Nelson threw well, but not being able to get out of a couple innings early, hurt us at the end. We are not a bad baseball team, we just need to find ways to execute and believe that we are going to execute. At some point, it's all going to click." ~ Radford head coach, Joe Raccuia