RADFORD AND LIBERTY TO MEET IN FOUR-GAME COMMONWEALTH CLASH

RADFORD, Va. – Radford and Liberty will meet in a four-game Commonwealth clash with three games coming in Big South play. The two in-state foes will meet tomorrow for a conference weekend series in Lynchburg, before returning to Radford for a non-conference contest on Tuesday. The last time the two foes met four times in a season came in 2014 with a three-game series and a Big South Tournament matchup. In games played at Liberty, the Highlanders are 14-23. Radford is 14-27 versus the Flames in home matchups.

SETTING THE STAGE
- Series: Liberty leads 56-33
- Location: Friday-Sunday: Liberty Baseball Stadium (Lynchburg, Va.) | Tuesday: RU Baseball Stadium (Radford, Va.)
- Audio (Friday/Tuesday)
- Audio (Saturday/Sunday)
- Video (Tuesday)
- Live Stats (Friday-Sunday)
- Live Stats (Tuesday)
- Game Notes (Radford | Liberty)

ON THE BUMP
Friday, May 13 – 7 p.m.
LHP Zack Ridgely (3-5, 2.97) vs. RHP Evan Mitchell (2-4, 2.89)
Saturday, May 14 – 7 p.m.
TBA vs. RHP Jack DeGroat (2-3, 5.09)
Sunday, May 15 – 2 p.m.
TBA vs. TBA
Tuesday, May 17 – 6 p.m.
TBA vs. TBA

LAST MEETING (March 23, 2015)

Liberty avoided a series sweep on three-hit complete game shutout from Jared Lyons in a 3-0 victory.
Lyons tallied 10 strikeouts in the shutout, while walking none.
The Flames added three runs in the sixth inning on a RBI double by Will Shepherd and a two-run double from Becker Sankey.
Josh Gardiner, Shane Johnsonbaugh and Aaron Scoville collected the lone RU hits.
Scoville recorded Radford's only extra-base hit on the day, a two-out double in the fifth inning. It was the only runner the Highlanders would get into scoring position on the day.

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

Record: 14-34, 6-12
Radford saw its losing streak drop to four games after falling 4-3 to VMI, Wednesday night on a walk off wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth. The Highlanders controlled a 2-0 lead through six innings, before the Keydets added three runs in the seventh. A Chris Coia double to left field knotted the game in the top of the ninth, before VMI loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning.
Chandler Davis and Coia collected two hits in the loss.
Davis reached base in all four plate appearances, collecting his fourth multi-hit game of the season.
Earning the start at second base, Coia tied the program record for games played in a Highlander uniform with his 217 appearance. The senior currently is standing at 198 career hits.
Luke Wise has driven in three runs in the last four games, giving him 14 RBIs on the season.
Wise has found success in Big South road contests, going 9 for 30 with six runs scored and six RBIs. The redshirt sophomore has collected two doubles and one triple in nine games.
Danny Hrbek leads the Highlanders with 11 hits in Big South road matchups.
In 25 road games, Radford is 5-20 with a .228 batting average and a 5.58 ERA.
In the road contests, Hrbek leads the way with a .352 average and Zack Ridgely holds a 3.32 ERA in 38 innings.

SCOUTING LIBERTY

Record: 23-26, 7-11
Liberty snapped its four-game skid with a 7-6 comeback victory over Old Dominion on Wednesday night. Trailing 6-4 in the eighth inning, the Flames plated three runs on three hits, taking a 7-6 lead into the final frame.
In the win, Payton Scarbrough and Josh Latta went 3 for 4, collecting their second three-hit game of the season. Will Shepherd collected two RBIs in the comeback win.
D.J. Artis has put together a stellar freshman campaign for the Flames, ranking fourth in the Big South with a .370 average. The outfielder leads the team and is tied for seventh in the league with 67 base knocks.
Artis has showed off his wheels, scoring 43 runs, while swiping 21 bags in 23 attempts.
Andrew Yacyk has provided Liberty with the power at the top of the order. Yacyk has compiled 62 hits, 17 doubles, 37 RBIs and six home runs over 49 games. The 17 doubles rank tied for third in the league.
Shepherd joins Artis and Yacyk to form one of the toughest trios in the Big South. The junior leads the squad with 38 RBIs, while collecting 61 hits and scoring 41 runs.
Liberty sports 10 players with double-digit RBIs.
Evan Mitchell has been the Flames' bell cow in the weekend rotation. The righty has compiled a 2-4 record and 2.89 ERA in 12 appearances with eight starts. Of the eight starts, three have ended in complete games. Mitchell is holding opponents to a .231 batting average.
Shane Quarterley has been the best reliever in the Liberty bullpen with a 5-4 record and six saves in 24 appearances. The junior sports a 3.62 ERA.

UP NEXT

Radford concludes the regular season with a three-game home series versus UNC Asheville. The series will run Thursday-Saturday, with Saturday being Senior Day for nine Highlanders.
The series holds major Big South Tournament implications as the two teams will playing for the final spot in the tournament.
UNC Asheville leads the all-time series 40-34.

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