HRBEK COLLECTS SIXTH THREE-HIT GAME IN 9-5 LOSS TO HIGH POINT

Saturday, May 7

High Point, N.C.

5:00 PM

Radford University

14-32, 6-11

High Point

28-17, 11-6

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Radford	0	0	1	2	1	0	0	1	0	5	6	1
High Point	0	0	0	5	4	0	0	0	X	9	11	0

Photo by: RUHighlanderPhotos.com

HRBEK COLLECTS SIXTH THREE-HIT GAME IN 9-5 LOSS TO HIGH POINT

5/7/2016 8:30:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

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GAME INFORMATION

Score: High Point 9, Radford 4
Records: High Point (28-17, 11-6) | Radford (14-32, 6-11)
Location: Williard Stadium | High Point, N.C.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Danny Hrbek led all players with a three-hit performance as Radford dropped a 9-5 Big South decision to High Point, Saturday evening as the Highlanders were unable to overcome a five-run fourth inning and four-run fifth inning by the Panthers.

After two scoreless opening frames, Luke Wise led off the top of the third with a walk on four straight pitches. With Wise's speed on first and Chris Coia's bat at the plate, the Highlanders rolled the dice on a 1-2 count. The gamble did not pay off as Coia struck out and Wise was thrown out at second.

High Point looked to get out of the inning easily, but Shane Johnsonbaugh had other plans. The senior drilled a 0-1 pitch over the short right-center field fence for the first run of the contest. Of Radford's 21 home runs on the year, 11 have come as the first Highlander run(s).

Radford kept the offensive juices flowing in the top of the fourth as they loaded the bases on a single from Nygeal Andrews and walks by Jonathan Gonzalez and Jordan Taylor.

With one out in the inning, Colby Higgerson stayed patient at the dish, forcing High Point starter Andre Scrubb to make pitches. Higgerson earned a bases loaded walk for his 20^th RBI of the season, extending the RU lead to 2-0.

One batter later, Wise lifted a sacrifice fly to right field for his second RBI in as many days, giving Radford an early 3-0 lead.

The Panthers answered the two RU runs in a big way, plating five runs on five hits in the bottom half of the frame. A Carson Jackson RBI single and Zach Vandergrift RBI double pulled High Point within 3-2 with one out.

With two runners on base, Spencer Brown launched a three-run to left field, giving High Point a 5-3 lead.

Hrbek continued his tear through Big South pitching with a one-out double in the top of the fifth. Hrbek moved to third on a Scrubb wild pitch and later scored on a passed ball. The Hrbek run inched the Highlanders within 5-4.

High Point put together its second consecutive offensive inning, adding four runs on four hits and one RU error. The runs came on a Dominic Fazio single and Jackson three-run home run to left field.

The four-run inning padded the Panther lead to 9-4 after five innings.

Tyler Britton came out of the High Point and retired the Highlanders in order in the sixth and seventh innings.

Not backing down at the dish, Hrbek led off the eighth with a first pitch single into center field. A passed ball moved Hrbek to second and a Gonzalez ground out advanced Hrbek to third base with two outs. Hrbek would go on to score via a wild pitch, giving the Highlanders their fifth run of the contest.

Radford was held to one run on two hits over the final four frames by Britton as High Point rolled to a 9-5 series clinching victory.

The Highlanders will look to salvage the three-game series with a 1 p.m. contest tomorrow.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Win: Andre Scrubb (7-4) (5.0 IP, 4 H, 4R/3ER, 5 BB, 7 K)
Loss: Mitchell MacKeith (3-5) (3.1, 6 H, 5R/5ER, 1 BB, 1 K)
Save: Tyler Britton (4) (4.0 IP, 2 H, 1R/1ER, 0 BB, 3 K)
Danny Hrbek's three-hit game is the 11^th of his career and he has three or more hits in 12 career games.
With the three hits, Hrbek extends his hitting streak to six games, his longest on the year.
Hrbek now has 60 hits on the season and 131 for his career. The junior only needs four hits to set a new career high.
Shane Johnsonbaugh, Nygeal Andrews and Matt Rotth collected the other RU hits.
Roth is 3 for 5 in pinch hit roles this season.
Kyle Zurak tossed two shutout innings in relief, allowing one hit and a walk.
Carson Jackson led High Point with a 2 for 4 performance with four RBIs and two runs scored.