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8
Winner Radford RAD 1-1
7
North Florida UNF 1-1
Winner
Radford RAD
1-1
8
Final
7
North Florida UNF
1-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Radford RAD 1 0 1 0 4 1 1 0 0 8 7 1
North Florida UNF 2 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 7 12 1

W: Fritz, Cameron (1-0) L: SMITH (0-1) S: Zurak, Kyle (1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

HORWITZ FINISHES WITH THREE RBIS AS RADFORD PICKS UP 8-7 WIN



GAME INFORMATION
  • Score: Radford 8, North Florida 7
  • Records: Highlanders (1-1) | Ospreys (1-1)
  • Location: Harmon Stadium | Jacksonville, Fla.
                                      
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Radford received seven RBIs from its two through four hitters, including a two-run home run off the bat of Spencer Horwitz as the freshman finished with three RBIs on the day in his first collegiate start as the Highlanders collected their first win of 2017 with an 8-7 victory over North Florida.
 
The Highlanders received six of its seven hits from the top four batters in the lineup; while Danny Hrbek (2), Colby Higgerson (2) and Horwitz (3) finished with multi-RBI performances.
 
After failing to score in the first nine innings of the season, Radford cracked the scoring column in the top of the first. Adam Whitacre led off the game with a single to right field, advancing to second on a stolen base. Whitacre moved to third on a Hrbek ground out, eventually scoring on a Horwitz single to right field.
 
Making his first career start on the mound; Hrbek was roughed up in the first inning as the Ospreys quickly placed two runners in scoring position following a hit by pitch, single and wild pitch. Blake Voyles plated both runs on a single to right field.
 
Osprey starting pitcher Brad Deppermann struckout the side in the top of the second and North Florida took a 4-1 lead in the bottom half of the inning on an Alex Merritt two-run double.
 
Cody Schneider led off the top of the third with his second double in as many days, while Whitacre followed with a walk. Higgerson advanced the runners on his first sacrifice bunt of the season. Hrbek followed with a RBI fielders' choice, before Horwitz fouled out to end the frame.
 
For the third straight inning, North Florida tallied a run, this time coming on a Hrbek wild pitch. After three innings, North Florida held a 5-2 lead over the Highlanders.
 
Following a scoreless top of the fourth, Hrbek punched out Mac Wilson to start the bottom of the fourth. Hrbek finished his first collegiate start with 3.1 innings pitched, allowing five runs on six hits with three strikeouts.
 
Radford regained the lead in the top of the fifth as Schneider reached base via a hit by pitch and Whitacre followed with a double to left-center field to put runners on second and third. Higgerson lifted a fly ball into right field that was deep enough to score Schneider from third for the Highlanders first run since the third inning.
 
Hrbek followed with a single into right field for his second RBI, scoring Whitacre from second base. Horwitz made the most of his first collegiate start with a long two-run home run to right field for a 6-5 Radford lead.
 
The Highlander lead was short lived as Chris Thibideau connected for North Florida's third home run of the series to lead off the fifth inning. Radford got the run back in the sixth inning as Clayton Baine led off the inning with a walk, swiping second and advancing to third on a wild throw by the Osprey catcher. Baine later scored on a wild pitch.
 
Higgerson added what turned out to be the game winning run in the top of the seventh with his first career home run on a solo shot to left field. The Higgerson home run extended Radford's lead to 8-6.
 
With his first save opportunity in 2017, Kyle Zurak took the ball in the bottom of the eighth. Zurak made quick work of the Ospreys with a three up, three down inning.
 
 In the bottom of the ninth, tension mounted as North Florida placed runners on runners on the corners with two outs. Voyles collected his third RBI with a single into center field to cut the Radford lead to 8-7. Zurak battled back to strikeout Christian Diaz to end the game and hand Radford its first Opening Weekend series win since 2015.
 
The Highlanders and Ospreys meet in a Sunday rubber matchup at 1 p.m. Radford goes for its first Opening Weekend series win since
 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Win: Cameron Fritz (1-0) (3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER 0 BB, 1 K)
  • Loss: Alex Smith (0-1) (1.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K)
  • Save: Kyle Zurak (1) (2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K)
  • Radford improves to 12-16 in games played during Opening Weekend during the tenure of Joe Raccuia.
  • North Florida controlled a 12-7 hit advantage.
  • Providing strong innings out of the Radford bullpen, Cameron yielded only one run on three hits in 3.2 innings of relief.
  • Adam Whitacre and Spencer Horwitz led the Highlanders with two hits each.
  • Cody Schneider and Whitacre combined to score four of Radford's runs.
  • Horwitz paced the Highlanders with three RBIs, while going 3 for 4 at the plate.
  • Colby Higgerson and Danny Hrbek followed with two RBIs each.
  • Hrbek extended his on-base streak to 13 games.
  • North Florida was led by Blake Voyles with a 3 for 5 performance, including three RBIs.
  • Osprey pitchers have combined for 21 strikeouts in the first two games of the series.
  • Tyler DuPoint struckout four Highlanders in 2.1 innings of relief.
 
QUOTABLE
  • "Glad to see this very young team bounce back from last night and from being down four early in this game. We continued to struggle defending in the field, but that will improve each game. [Cameron] Fritz threw some big innings in the middle of the game and [Spencer] Horwitz made his first college start a pretty special one." ~ Radford head coach Joe Raccuia
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