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

W: GERMAN, Frank (1-0) L: Sande, Ryan (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

RADFORD FALLS 9-2 IN SERIES FINALE AT NORTH FLORIDA



GAME INFORMATION
  • Score: North Florida 9, Radford 2
  • Records: Ospreys (2-1) | Highlanders (1-2)
  • Location: Harmon Stadium | Jacksonville, Fla.
                                      
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Radford was held to four hits for the second time in the series as the Highlanders did not produce a run until the seventh inning in a 9-2 rubber match loss to North Florida, ending the Highlanders chances for their first Opening Weekend series win since 2015.
 
The Ospreys touched up Radford starter Ryan Sande for three runs in the opening frame and a run in the second for an early 4-0 lead as Alex Thibideau drove in two of his three RBIs on the day in the first two innings.
 
North Florida starter Frank German took a perfect game bid into the seventh inning with 10 strikeouts. After retiring his first batter in the inning, pinch hitter Mason Scoville broke up the bid with a walk. With Danny Hrbek standing at the dish, Scoville advanced to second on a wild pitch and third on a Hrbek ground out.
 
Radford's first base runner turned into its first opportunity to plate a run as the Ospreys decided the make a pitching change, bringing Eddie Miller into the contest. Radford's hottest hitter in the lineup, Spencer Horwitz lined a single up the middle for his fourth RBI in the last two games. The Horwitz RBI pulled the Highlanders within 4-1 of the Ospreys.
 
Despite allowing four runs in the first two innings, freshman Austin Gerber provided the Highlanders with a lights-out performance out of the bullpen. Gerber came into the game in the third inning, tossing four innings, yielding one unearned run on two hits and striking out three batters.
 
After allowing a leadoff single in the bottom half of the seventh, Radford went to its bullpen, replacing Gerber with redshirt junior Mack Krupp. North Florida quickly loaded the bases, scoring five times on four hits and one error. The Ospreys added two runs on fielders' choice plays, a two-run Blake Voyles double and a Tanner Murphy pinch hit single.
 
The Highlanders tacked on its second run in the top of the eighth as sophomore Matt Roth led off the inning with a single to left field. Following two strikeouts, freshman Cody Schneider walked, putting runners on first and second. Adam Whitacre followed with a single into right field, plating Roth from second to give Whitacre his first RBI on the season as the Highlanders dropped the contest 9-2.  
 
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Win: Frank German (1-0) (6.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER 1 BB, 10 K)
  • Loss: Ryan Sande (0-1) (2.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 0 K)
  • Save: None
  • Radford improves to 12-16 in games played during Opening Weekend during the tenure of Joe Raccuia.
  • In the three-game series, Radford struckout 35 times in 94 at bats.
  • North Florida outscored Radford 25-10 in the series, twice scoring nine runs.
  • For the first time in the series a home run was not hit.
  • Blake Voyles finished the series 5 for 11 with five RBIs and two runs scored. Voyles finished the day with two hits and two RBIs.
  • Chris Thibideau was responsible for five of North Florida's nine runs. Thibideau drove in three runs and scored two.
  • Radford's four hits came off the bats of Adam Whitacre, Spencer Horwitz, Jonathan Gonzalez and Matt Roth.
  • Horwitz finished the series 3 for 8 with four RBIs.
  • Whitacre added three hits in the series.
  • Danny Hrbek saw his 13-game on-base streak snapped with a 0 for 4 day.
  • Austin Gerber's final line out of the bullpen: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 K

QUOTABLE
  • "We struggled once again to put up zeros early in the game and let two innings get out of control. [Frank] German was pretty good through six innings and we didn't adjust to taking his best pitch away. We played a really solid club this weekend and we found out quickly how much faster we need to play the game." ~ Radford head coach Joe Raccuia

UP NEXT
  • Radford returns to the field on Tuesday, traveling to former Big South foe Elon for a 4 p.m. contest. The Highlanders hold a 7-10 record in the all-time matchup as the two opponents have not met since 2010.  
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