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3
Radford RAD 10-27
11
Winner Virginia VA 24-15
Radford RAD
10-27
3
Final
11
Virginia VA
24-15
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Radford RAD 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 4 1
Virginia VA 0 1 5 0 0 1 4 0 X 11 8 4

W: Sousa, B. (3-0) L: Swarmer, Tyler (2-3) S: Shambora, T. (1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

HIGHLANDERS FALL 11-3 IN COMMONWEALTH CLASH AT VIRGINIA



GAME INFORMATION
  • Score: Virginia 11, Radford 3
  • Records: Virginia (24-15) | Radford (10-27)
  • Location: Davenport Field | Charlottesville, Va.  
                                      
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A five-run third inning and four-run seventh inning by Virginia proved to be the difference as Radford dropped a 11-3 non-conference Commonwealth clash, Tuesday night at a humid Davenport Field.
 
Chris Coia wasted little time getting the Highlander offense going as he led the game off with a double to left field. With a runner on second and no outs, Johnsonbaugh launched a long fly ball to right field warning track, allowing Coia to tag up.
 
Standing at the plate with a prime opportunity in front of him, Danny Hrbek lined a 1-1 pitch to first base, beating Bennett Sousa off the mound and flip from Pavin Smith. The Hrbek single allowed Coia to score easily as Radford continued its streak of scoring first to five games.
 
Tyler Swarmer forced three consecutive Cavalier ground outs, sending the Highlanders to the second frame with a 1-0 lead.
 
The Cavaliers evened the score in the bottom of the second as Pavin Smith led off with a single and Daniel Pinero walked. Following a Jack Gerstenmaier sacrifice bunt, Charlie Cody grounded out to short, allowing Smith to score from third to tie the game at one.
 
After allowing the first inning run, Sousa retired the Highlanders for the second straight frame as the Cavalier offense looked to take the lead in the bottom of the third.
 
UVa saw its offense plate five runs on four hits as five consecutive batters reached base in the inning. A perfectly executed hit-and-run at bat from Matt Thaiss led to a two-run double down the right field line, giving the Cavaliers a 3-1 lead. UVa added three more runs on a Smith single, Pinero triple and Cody sac fly. The big inning extended the Cavalier lead to 5-1.
 
Radford received an opportunity to add another run in the top of the fourth as Johnsonbaugh reached on a fielding error by the Cavalier second baseman as the senior hit into the shift. Following two fly outs, Johnsonbaugh advanced to second on a wild pitch from Sousa. Kyle Butler reached on the second UVa error in the inning, putting Highlanders on the corners. The RU threat was ended as Jordan Taylor struckout swinging.
 
Sousa settled into a groove after allowing the early run, holding the Highlanders hitless until the sixth inning. Coia reached on the Cavaliers third error of the game to open the sixth. Johnsonbaugh ripped a 1-2 pitch down the right field, scoring Coia all the way from first base on the RBI double.
 
Hrbek followed with a single into center field, giving Radford runners on the corners as UVa went to its bullpen. Trevor Riggs lifted the second pitch from newly entered Tyler Shambora to left field as Johnsonbaugh tagged up from third, scoring on the fly ball. The Riggs sac fly pulled the Highlanders within 6-3. Radford's rally was ended as Butler grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.
 
Holding a 6-3 lead, the Cavaliers added an insurance run in the sixth and four in the seventh, cruising to a 11-3 victory in the first meeting since 2013 between the two foes.
 
Radford continues action versus Commonwealth foes, hosting George Mason for a three-game non-conference weekend series starting on Friday.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Win: Bennett Sousa (3-0) (5.0 IP, 4 H, 3R/2ER, 0 BB, 4 K)
  • Loss: Tyler Swarmer (2-3) (3.0 IP, 5 H, 6R/6ER, 2 BB, 2 K)
  • Save: Tyler Shambora (1) (4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K)
  • With his RBI single in the top of the first, Danny Hrbek has six RBIs in 11 opportunities with a runner on third and less than two outs.
  • Hrbek extended his on-base streak to 14 games, collecting his 16 multi-hit performances.
  • Trevor Riggs had 10 game on-base streak snapped, but picked up his 16th RBI.
  • Dylan Nelson tossed three innings of relief, allowing one run on one hit. It was the first relief appearance for Nelson since May 11, 2013.
  • UVa committed four errors, a season high for the Cavaliers.  
  • Charlie Cody led Cavaliers with a 1 for 3 day and a game-high three RBIs.
  • Matt Thaiss and Nat Eikhoff finished with two RBIs.

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