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5
Radford RAD 1-6
7
Winner North Carolina NC 7-0
Radford RAD
1-6
5
Final
7
North Carolina NC
7-0
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 0 2 3 5 8 5
North Carolina NC 0 1 3 0 0 0 3 0 X 7 8 0

W: Dalatri (2-0) L: Sande, Ryan (0-2) S: Hiatt (5)

Game Recap: Baseball |

RADFORD'S LATE RALLY FALLS SHORT 7-5 AT NO. 9 NORTH CAROLINA



GAME INFORMATION
  • Score: No. 9 North Carolina 7, Radford 5
  • Records: Tar Heels (7-0) | Highlanders (1-6)
  • Location: Boshamer Stadium | Chapel Hill, N.C.
 
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Radford only managed one hit through seven innings, before scoring five runs on seven hits in the final two innings as the late inning comeback fell short 7-5 to No. 9 North Carolina, Sunday afternoon inside Boshamer Stadium.
 
Tar Heel starter Luca Dalatri punched out a season-high 15 Highlanders, limiting Radford to a Danny Hrbek fourth inning single through the first seven frames.
 
The top of the eighth inning saw Radford load the bases on three straight singles off the bats of Spencer Horwitz, Matt Roth and Kyle Butler. Following a Straton Podaras pinch hit strikeout, Richard De la Cruz lined a one-out infield single off Dalatri's glove, plating two runs.
 
After two wild pitches, Butler and De la Cruz moved into scoring position with Adam Whitacre batting, but the Highlanders were unable to take advantage, plating two runs on four hits.
 
Evan Threehouse pitched a scoreless eighth inning, yielding only a walk as the runner was retired on a strong throw by Podaras at second base on a stolen base attempt.
 
Following two quick outs to start the ninth, Horwitz started the ninth inning rally with a five-pitch walk. Roth followed with an infield single to short, putting runners on first and second.
 
Butler blooped a single into right field, just in front of a charging Josh Ladowski, allowing Horwitz to score from second and advancing Roth to third. Podaras followed with a single to right field, plating Radford's fourth run.
 
With the game tying run at the plate, North Carolina brought in closer Josh Hiatt. Hiatt's first pitch was in the dirt, allowing Butler to score, pulling the Highlanders within 7-5.
 
De la Cruz stepped in with a runner on second and two outs. Already with two RBIs in the contest the freshman worked a 3-2 full count on six pitches, but Hiatt collected the strikeout as Radford's late inning comeback fell short 7-5.
 
North Carolina built its 7-0 lead on two three-run innings on six Highlander miscues.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Win: Luca Dalatri (2-0) (8.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 15 K)
  • Loss: Ryan Sande (0-2) (5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K)
  • Save: Josh Hiatt (5)
  • North Carolina scored three runs in the third and three in the seventh. Radford committed five combined errors in those two innings.
  • Tar Heel pitchers combined for 17 strikeouts in the win, finishing the three-game series with 40 strikeouts.
  • For the first time on the season, Radford outhit its opponent, edging North Carolina 8-7.
  • Colin Reid made his collegiate debut, striking out three batters 1.1 innings pitched.
  • Kyle Butler and Matt Roth led the Highlanders with two hits each.
  • The multi-hit game is the first of Roth's career.
  • Spencer Horwitz and Roth scored two runs each, career highs for both.
  • A day removed from collecting his first collegiate hit, Richard De la Cruz collected his first RBI on the two-run infield single in the eighth.
  • Danny Hrbek finished the series 6 for 12 at the plate.
  • For North Carolina, Logan Warmoth and Brandon Riley led the way with two RBIs each.
  • Brain Miller and Warmoth combined for four RBIs.
 
QUOTABLE
  • "You can't beat any team in the country when committing six errors. I have pride in how we battled back and took some better at bats. We put ourselves in a position to be in the game and a swing away from possibly tying the game or taking the lead. We simply have to make defense a priority in our program again." ~ Radford head coach Joe Raccuia
 
UP NEXT
  • Radford travels to New River Valley foe on Tuesday for a 3 p.m. contest.
  • In the three-game weekday series between the NRV foes, Radford took the series, improving to 14-41 all-time against the Hokies.
  • In the game played in Blacksburg, Virginia Tech hit two home runs and scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings, eventually taking a 4-3 comeback win in 10 innings.
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