Baseball 2/16/2017 2:00:00 PM

RADFORD KICKS OFF 2017 CAMPAIGN FRIDAY AT NORTH FLORIDA

Follow @RadfordBaseball

RADFORD, Va. – Radford baseball enters its 33^rd season and possesses one of the youngest rosters in program history as the Highlanders sport 24 underclassmen. After graduating eight seniors, head coach Joe Raccuia looks to groom another talented crop of freshmen as Radford works to reclaim its spot at the top of the Big South in 2017.

After a 2016 preseason in which Mother Nature limited the Highlanders access to the diamond, the 2017 season is off to a better start as warmer January and February temperatures allowed Raccuia's squad to spend a majority of their time outside the indoor facility.

Radford will open its season in the Sunshine State for the first time since 2013 as the Highlanders travel to North Florida, a first in program history. The Highlanders are no stranger to Jacksonville, Fla., taking the Opening Weekend series win over Jacksonville during the 2013 campaign. The Highlanders are 4-6 against opponents from the Sunshine State.

SETTING THE STAGE

Series: First meeting
Location: Harmon Stadium (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Record vs. Florida opponents: Jacksonville (2-1), Rollins (1-1), South Florida (1-1), Stetson (0-1), Florida (0-2)
Live Stats
Series Notes

ON THE BUMP (2016 stats)
Friday, Feb. 17 - 6 p.m.
LHP Zack Ridgely (4-6, 3.34) vs. LHP Austin Drury (6-1, 4.02)
Saturday, Feb. 18 - 1 p.m.
RHP Danny Hrbek (0-0, -.--) vs. RHP Brad Deppermann (0-0, 10.64)
Sunday, Feb. 19 – 1 p.m.
RHP Ryan Sande (3-0, 3.38) vs. RHP Frank German (2-4, 4.41)

INSIDE OPENING WEEKEND

Radford is 11-16 in opening weekends during Raccuia's nine years as head coach.
The Highlanders are 8-24 all-time on Opening Day and 2-7 in season openers under Raccuia.
Radford's last series win on Opening Weekend came in 2015 over Samford.

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

2016 Record: 19-39 (9-15 Big South)
After putting together three 30-win seasons, including a program-best 45 wins in 2015, Radford saw its wins' total dip below 20 for the first time since 2007.
The Highlanders failed to win double-digit Big South games for the first time since 2008, finishing with a 9-15 record.
Radford ended the 2016 season on a high note, winning five of its last seven games, including a 2-2 record in the Big South Tournament.
The 2016 Big South Tournament witnessed the Highlanders become the first eighth seed to win two games in the tournament and advance to the semifinals.
The Highlanders return 17 letterwinners from a season ago, losing 14. Radford returns six starters from a season ago.
Radford returns seven position players with 20-plus starts from the 2016 season.
Offensively: Radford will lean on Danny Hrbek, Jonathan Gonzalez and Colby Higgerson. The trio combined for 167 hits, 85 RBIs, 78 runs and 36 extra base hits as the top three offensive performers from a season ago.
Hrbek was the lone All-Big South performer in 2016, earning second team honors. He ranked 38th nationally in toughest to strike out category, striking out once every 14.1 plate appearances. Hrbek finished with a .385 on-base percentage, reaching base 34 times in 56 plate appearances as the leadoff batter.
He finished with a career-high 23 multi-hit games, including seven three-hit contests. Hrbek added seven multi-RBI games, finishing with three 3-RBI affairs.
Gonzalez appeared in 43 of Radford's 58 games, earning 37 starts between designated hitter and catcher. He finished with nine multi-hit games and led the team with eight multi-RBI contests. Gonzalez finished the season 9 for 11 with a runner on third base and less than two outs.
Drawing raves over his sure handed fielding and strong arm at shortstop, Higgerson developed into one of Radford's best bats by season end. He finished with a .267 average, raising it 40 points over the final 11 games. Higgerson led the Highlanders with an astonishing 12 two-out RBIs, while setting a program record and ranking sixth nationally with 16 sacrifice bunts.
Higgerson brings an 11-game hitting and on-base streak into the 2017 season. Hrbek follows with a nine-game hitting and 11-game on-base streak.
Luke Wise returns as Radford's best defensive outfielder and base runner. Wise committed only one error in 125 chances, while collecting nine steals in 12 attempts.
The 2016 season saw Wise rank third on the team with four home runs, including three solo shots with two leading off an inning.
Radford will need to replace three of its top four starting pitchers from a season ago as Dylan Nelson, Mitchell MacKeith and Tyler Swarmer leave the Highlanders without a senior starter.
Junior Zack Ridgely settled into the Friday night role in 2016, compiling a 4-6 record with a 3.34 ERA in a career-high 97.0 innings. Ridgely held opposing batters to a .252 averaging, while only walking 23 batters for a 2.1 walks per nine innings ratio. The lefty punched out five-plus batters in eight contests, earning two Big South Pitcher of the Week awards.
The only returning Highlander with a career start under his belt is Austin Ross with eight, but could miss the 2017 season with a shoulder injury.
Hrbek moves into the weekend rotation after not pitching since his freshmen season in 2014. He appeared in six games with three innings pitched, allowing only one run on four hits with three strikeouts.
Raccuia will have several options to fill the third weekend spot and Tuesday starter. Sophomore Ryan Sande was used as a long reliever out of the bullpen last season and junior college transfer Cameron Fritz has been stretched out to become a starter. Redshirt freshman Brandon Donovan and true freshman Colin Reid provide the Highlanders strong rotation options on the bump.
Senior Kyle Zurak earned the closer role for the Highlanders after a strong fall and preseason. He finished 2016 with a 5.93 ERA in 30.1 innings pitched. Zurak was 1 for 1 in save opportunities a season ago.
Joining Zurak as the Highlanders' most experienced arms in the bullpen, redshirt junior Mack Krupp appeared in 19 contests, compiling a 1-2 record in 2016. Krupp allowed only eight hits in 16 innings pitched with 15 strikeouts.

SCOUTING NORTH FLORIDA

2016 Record: 39-19 (15-6 Atlantic Sun)
North Florida finished second in the 2016 Atlantic Sun regular season standings, going 2-2 in the conference tournament.
The Ospreys have won 39-plus games in three of the last four years, posting an 84-35 record over the last two seasons. With 204 wins since 2011, North Florida tops the ASUN
In the last four seasons, North Florida has led the ASUN in batting average, while producing the last three batting champions. The Ospreys have ranked in the Top 15 nationally in batting average over the four-year span, ranking 11^th a season ago with a .317 clip.
North Florida compiled a 3.68 team ERA in 2016, leading the ASUN and ranking 47^th in the country.
The Ospreys will have to replace top hitter and Johnny Bench Award finalist Keith Skinner. Skinner led the ASUN and ranked 30^th in the country with a .382 average. He led the team with 16 doubles, while collecting 81 hits and 40 RBIs. Skinner was selected in the seventh round of the MLB Draft by the New York Yankees.
North Florida lost ABCA/Rawlings Third Team All-American Corbin Olmstead to graduation. Olmstead was a semifinalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award. He led the Ospreys with 83 hits, 12 home runs and 59 RBIs. On the mound, Olmstead compiled a 5-1 record with a 1.65 ERA and six saves. He struckout 34 batters in 32.2 innings pitched.
Of North Florida's seven players with a .300-plus batting average in 2016, Chris Thibideau returns as the lone Osprey offensive threat. Thibideau hit for a .344 average with 65 hits and 32 RBIs, while swiping 12 bases in 13 attempts.
Last season, North Florida only had two players start 10-plus games on the mound in Bryan Baker (14) and Austin Drury (12). Seven other Osprey started a game on the bump, including three with seven-plus starts.
Baker finished the season with a 6-4 record and a 2.27 ERA with 80 strikeouts in 83.1 innings to along with a .214 opposing batting average. Baker bypassed his senior campaign, signing with the Colorado Rockies after being selected in the 11^th round.
Coming off a strong freshman campaign, Drury was named a Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American after posting a 6-1 record and 4.02 ERA. The left-hander compiled a 5-1 record in ASUN play. In five of his last six starts, he allowed two runs or less.
North Florida finished the 2016 season with a 26-8 record at Harmon Stadium, including a 18-7 mark in non-conference play.

UP NEXT

Radford travels to Elon on Feb. 21 for its first weekday road game of the season. Action is slated for a 4 p.m. start.
The Highlanders hold a 7-10 record against the former Big South member.
In the last matchup between the two foes, Elon collected an 8-7 victory on March 7, 2010. The Phoenix scored six unanswered runs and collected the win on a walkoff two-run home run.
Radford's last win in the all-time series came on April 13, 2002 with a 12-9 victory in game one of the doubleheader.

Print Friendly Version