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TechPreview-20160412

Baseball

BRAGGING RIGHTS ON THE LINE: RADFORD AND VIRGINIA TECH MEET AT CALFEE PARK

RADFORD, Va. – The battle of the New River Valley comes down to one game as Radford and Virginia Tech meet in a winner takes all neutral site contest on Wednesday at Calfee Park in Pulaski, Va. The two foes split the first two games of the home-home series, setting up a 6:30 p.m. matchup with bragging rights on the line.
 
SETTING THE STAGE
-  Series: Virginia Tech leads 42-13
-  Location: Calfee Park (Pulaski, Va.)
-  Audio
-  Live Stats
-  Tickets
-  Game Notes (Radford | Virginia Tech)

ON THE BUMP
Wednesday, April 13 – 6:30 p.m.
RHP Culver Hughes (0-0, 11.81) vs. LHP Tyler Swarmer (1-2, 4.50)
 
LAST MEETING (March 22, 2016)
  • Radford scattered 15 hits, while scoring in every inning but one in a 12-8 victory over Virginia Tech in the second matchup of the NRV showdown at an electric RU Baseball Stadium. The offensive explosion saw five Highlanders collect multi-hit performances.
  •  The Highlanders got on the board first in the bottom half of the opening frame as Shane Johnsonbaugh and Danny Hrbek reached on consecutive fielders' choices, moving up on a passed ball by the Hokie catcher. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Trevor Riggs gave RU an early 1-0 lead.
  • Virginia Tech added four runs on three hits in the top of the second, highlighted by a two-run double from Sam Fragale.
  • The bottom half of the inning saw Jordan Taylor and Luke Wise reach on back-to-back walks. A Colby Higgerson groundout allowed the two runners to move up one base, putting two in scoring position for Chris Coia. Recently breaking out of a slump, Coia lined a single into left field, plating Taylor and Wise to pull within 4-3 of the Hokies.
  • Radford took a 6-4 lead in the third on a Chandler Davis RBI double and two-run single off the bat of Taylor. Hrbek added another run to the RU lead on a triple in the fourth inning.
  • Virginia Tech would get runs in the fifth and sixth on leadoff home runs from Phil Sciretta and Mogg. The solo shots would pull the Hokies within 7-6 of the Highlanders.
  • The fifth inning was the only inning the Highlanders were unable to push across a run, but had an opportunity with runners on the corners.
  • Following the two solo home runs, Jonathan Gonzalez brought the crowd of 487 in attendance to their feet as he launched a no-doubt home run into the night over the right field wall. The Gonzalez blast gave Radford a comfortable 10-6 lead.
  • The two foes traded runs over the next two innings as an Adam Whitacre opposite field RBI double and Travis McQueen three-inning save closed the book on the 12-8 Highlander win.
 
HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS
  • Record: 8-24, 3-6 Big South
  • Coming off a series win over Campbell in their Big South home opener, Radford continued its homestand with four straight. The week did not go as planned for Radford, dropping a non-conference matchup to VMI and a three-game Big South series to No. 20 Coastal Carolina.
  • In the four games, opponents outscored the Highlanders 35-19.
  • Catching fire in the Radford lineup, Colby Higgerson is 10 for 21 over the last six games. The span has saw three two-hit performances and one three-hit performance.
  • The freshman has seven multi-hit games on the season.
  • Higgerson leads the team with 15 RBIs, driving in 10 over the last eight contests.
  • Adam Whitacre made the most of his opportunities at the plate last week. Whitacre collected seven hits in 10 at bats, scoring four runs and driving in one. The freshman raised his batting average to .306 with the strong week.
  • Tyler Swarmer and Travis McQueen have dominated Hokie batters during the first two meetings on the season.
  • In two starts, Swarmer has allowed only four earned runs in 11 innings pitched. Hokie batters are hitting .225 off the lefty. McQueen has tallied 11 strikeouts in six innings.
  • Radford is 2-2 versus the Hokies in neutral site contests. In two games played at Calfee Park, the two foes split with the Highlanders taking the last matchup 5-2 on May 9, 2001.
 
SCOUTING VIRGINIA TECH
  • Record: 11-22, 2-13 ACC
  • Virginia Tech snapped the nation's longest losing streak of 17 games with a 4-3 upset win over No. 11 North Carolina on Sunday. The Hokies broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the ninth on a two-run Tar Heel error.
  • Despite the 11-22 record, the Hokies are only being outscored 333-302.
  • Phil Sciretta continues to lead the Virginia Tech lineup. Sciretta leads the team in average (.338), hits (44) and RBIs (26).
  • Since going 2 for 5 with two doubles, two runs scored and two RBIs versus Radford on March 22, Sam Fragale has strung together a 12-game hitting streak. Over the span, Fragale is 15 for 44 with five runs scored, five doubles and six RBIs.
  • One of the best leadoff batters in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Sage Jenco has posted a .327 average and .489 on-base percentage, ranking seventh in the ACC. Jenco has tallied 30 walks, which ranks third in the ACC.
  • Jenco earned a career-high four walks in the win over No. 11 North Carolina, giving him 92 in his career.
  • The redshirt junior ranks 14th in the country with 0.97 walks per game and 15th in total walks.
  • Virginia Tech has totaled 154 walks, ranking fifth in the ACC and 32nd nationally.
  • With a team ERA of 6.33, reliever Aaron McGarity posts a team-low 2.38 ERA, but has not pitched since the last NRV matchup on March 22
 
UP NEXT        
  • Standing in ninth place in the Big South standings, Radford looks to climb its way back up the ladder with a three game weekend series at Winthrop.
  • Winthrop leads the all-time series 52-35.
  • Since Joe Raccuia took over in 2008, Radford is 18-9 against the Eagles.
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Players Mentioned

Chris Coia

#2 Chris Coia

INF
5' 11"
Senior
R/R
Chandler Davis

#33 Chandler Davis

C
5' 11"
Redshirt Freshman
R/R
Danny Hrbek

#7 Danny Hrbek

INF/P
5' 11"
Junior
L/R
Shane Johnsonbaugh

#22 Shane Johnsonbaugh

OF
5' 11"
Senior
L/R
Travis McQueen

#13 Travis McQueen

RHP
6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
L/R
Trevor Riggs

#8 Trevor Riggs

OF
6' 0"
Sophomore
R/R
Tyler Swarmer

#6 Tyler Swarmer

LHP
6' 0"
Senior
R/L
Jordan Taylor

#21 Jordan Taylor

C
6' 1"
Senior
R/R
Luke Wise

#1 Luke Wise

OF
5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
L/L
Colby Higgerson

#20 Colby Higgerson

INF
6' 1"
Freshman
R/R
Jonathan Gonzalez

#41 Jonathan Gonzalez

C
6' 0"
Junior
R/R
Adam Whitacre

#35 Adam Whitacre

OF
6' 2"
Freshman
L/L

Players Mentioned

Chris Coia

#2 Chris Coia

5' 11"
Senior
R/R
INF
Chandler Davis

#33 Chandler Davis

5' 11"
Redshirt Freshman
R/R
C
Danny Hrbek

#7 Danny Hrbek

5' 11"
Junior
L/R
INF/P
Shane Johnsonbaugh

#22 Shane Johnsonbaugh

5' 11"
Senior
L/R
OF
Travis McQueen

#13 Travis McQueen

6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
L/R
RHP
Trevor Riggs

#8 Trevor Riggs

6' 0"
Sophomore
R/R
OF
Tyler Swarmer

#6 Tyler Swarmer

6' 0"
Senior
R/L
LHP
Jordan Taylor

#21 Jordan Taylor

6' 1"
Senior
R/R
C
Luke Wise

#1 Luke Wise

5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
L/L
OF
Colby Higgerson

#20 Colby Higgerson

6' 1"
Freshman
R/R
INF
Jonathan Gonzalez

#41 Jonathan Gonzalez

6' 0"
Junior
R/R
C
Adam Whitacre

#35 Adam Whitacre

6' 2"
Freshman
L/L
OF