RADFORD TAKES ON DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPION VIRGINIA ON TUESDAY

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RADFORD, Va. – The Highlanders are one of only two teams in the country to play the past two national champions during the 2016 season and Radford concludes the rare feat with a non-conference battle at Virginia. The Commonwealth foes are scheduled for a 6 p.m. clash at Davenport Field in the first matchup since 2013.

SETTING THE STAGE
- Series: Virginia leads 18-4-1
- Location: Davenport Field (Charlottesville, Va.)
- Video
- Audio
- Live Stats
- Game Notes (Radford | Virginia)

ON THE BUMP
Tuesday, April 19 – 6 p.m.
LHP Tyler Swarmer (2-2, 3.79) vs. TBA

LAST MEETING (April 10, 2013)

Radford recorded its most historic baseball victory Wednesday night at Virginia. The Highlanders defeated a top 10 team for the second time in their history, but the first over a team ranked as high as No. 4 as the Cavaliers were entering the game. RU held on for a 9-8 win at Davenport Field. RU's previous win over a top 10 team was over South Carolina in 2003.
The Highlanders (20-11) struck for three runs in the top of the first. Josh Gardiner led off the game with a walk followed by a Josh Reavis single. Jeff Kemp reached on an error, and Zach Woolcock plated the first run on a groundout. Alexander Lee singled home a pair of runs, and RU took a lead it would never give up.
After the Cavaliers scored a run in the bottom half of the first, the Highlanders exploded for six runs on six hits in the second. The highlight was a Kemp three-run homer to left field. Reavis also knocked in a run with a single, and Hunter Higgerson delivered a two-run double to give the Highlanders a 9-1 lead.
Virginia (30-4) tallied a run in the fourth on a solo homer by Mike Papi, and added two more on a two-run homer in the sixth by Derek Fisher.
Dylan Nelson (4-2) lasted 6.0 innings and allowed four runs on four hits to earn the victory. Jeff Maxwell worked two innings of scoreless relief, and the Highlanders took a 9-4 lead into the bottom of the ninth. They would need all of the five-run lead.
After Daniel Bridgeman started the inning on the mound and was unable to get an out before the Cavaliers loaded the bases, closer Michael Costello came on to earn the save, but it wasn't without some tense moments for Radford fans.
The Cavaliers rallied for four runs, but Costello got clean-up hitter Brandon Downes to pop up with runners at first and second to end the game. The save was Costello's seventh of the season.

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

Record: 10-26
Radford is coming off a three-game Big South series at Winthrop in which the Highlanders went 1-2, falling to 4-8 in conference play.
Danny Hrbek went 4 for 10 with three RBIs and one run scored. Hrbek extended his on-base streak to 13 games.
After starting the season slow at the plate, Trevor Riggs has caught fire recently. The junior went 5 for 14 with three runs scored, two RBIs, a home run and double in four games last week.
Riggs has a four-game hitting streak and 10-game on-base streak.
Adam Whitacre has been the go to player off the Highlander bench. In 15 appearances off the bench, Whitacre is 6 for 14 with double, home run and four RBIs. The freshman has scored three runs off the pine.
In five starts versus Power Five conferences, Tyler Swarmer has only allowed 11 earned runs in 26.1 innings pitched. The senior southpaw has punched out 15 batters in the five outings. Swarmer is 2-2 in the five starts.
Radford has been involved in 12 one-run contests on the season, possessing a 3-9 record.
In the 15-8 win over Winthrop on Saturday, Radford collected season highs in runs (15) and hits (19). The last time Radford scored 15 or more runs in a game came on May 16, 2015, when the Highlanders scored 16 versus UNC Asheville.
The Highlanders are 3-4 versus teams from the Commonwealth with eight more contests versus Virginia foes.

SCOUTING VIRGINIA

Record: 23-15
Virginia is coming off a ACC series win over No. 13 North Carolina. The Cavaliers earned their third conference series win of the season and first since March 18-19 versus Wake Forest.
Matt Thaiss leads the Cavaliers with a blistering .379 averaging, ranking 10th in the ACC. The junior is the Cavalier home run leader with six blasts.
Following Thaiss, Ernie Clement sports a .361 average, which stands 16^th in the league.
The duo stands controls first and second in the ACC hits category. Clement leads the league with 60 base knocks, while ranking 10^th nationally. Thaiss stands in second with 55 hits.
Pavin Smith paces Virginia with 38 RBIs, good enough for eighth in the league.
Seven of Smith's RBIs have came via the sacrifice fly, which ranks second in the country.
Ranking second in the land in sac bunts, Virginia has laid down 42. Clement has been one of the best bunters in the country, tallying 13 sac bunts, good enough for second in the category.
Virginia is not a threat on the base paths as the Cavaliers have only successfully swiped 17 bags in 30 attempts.
Jack Roberts has dominated opposing batters out of the Cavalier bullpen. Roberts has allowed only three earned runs in 15.2 innings of work for a 1.72 ERA. The redshirt sophomore has punched out 21 batters, holding opponents to a .102 batting average.

UP NEXT

Radford will host its last non-conference weekend series as George Mason comes to the RU Baseball Stadium for an in-state battle on Friday
The Highlanders are 1-5 all-time versus the Patriots.
The two teams have not played since March 19, 2013. George Mason held off a Radford two-run ninth inning for the 5-4 win.

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