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Radford Athletics Communications
1
Rider RID 6-9
3
Winner Radford RAD 7-11
Rider RID
6-9
1
Final
3
Radford RAD
7-11
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Rider RID 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 8 2
Radford RAD 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 3 10 0

W: Gerber, Austin (2-1) L: Josh Sharik (0-2) S: Zurak, Kyle (3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

RADFORD ENSURES SERIES WIN WITH 3-1 DECISION OVER RIDER



GAME INFORMATION
  • Score: Radford 3, Rider 1
  • Records: Highlanders (7-11) | Broncs (6-9)
  • Location: Radford Baseball Stadium | Radford, Va.  
 
RADFORD, Va. – After sitting through a 4:10 weather delay, Radford plated two runs in the final three frames to push its winning streak to four straight with a 3-1 win over Rider on a blustery Saturday afternoon.
 
Locked in a 1-1 battle through the first six innings, Radford regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh as Anthony Miano led off with a bunt single to third base. Following a Clayton Baine sacrifice bunt, Carlin Christian came on to pinch run for Miano.
 
After a Luke Wise fly out, Rider went to its bullpen for a lefty versus lefty matchup against Adam Whitacre. Newly entered Mike Diorio walked Whitacre to put Highlanders on first and second.
 
Swinging the hottest bat in the lineup, Kyle Butler singled to right field, scoring Christian easily from second base. Butler's fourth RBI of the series and seventh in the last four games handed Radford a 2-1 lead.
 
Radford was able to regain the lead due to a strong showing out of the bullpen by Austin Gerber, who worked out of a one-out bases loaded jam in the sixth and used a double play in the seventh to put the Highlanders in the driver's seat.
 
Kyle Zurak came on to pitch the eighth, looking for his second two-inning save in 2017, striking out two Broncs in the inning.
 
The Highlanders added an insurance run in the bottom half of the inning as Jonathan Gonzalez led off the frame with a single into right-center field. Matt Roth laid down a sac bunt and Spencer Horwitz followed with a single through the right side as the Highlanders controlled a 3-1 lead.
 
Zurak stranded a runner in the ninth as the Highlanders collected their second straight win over the Broncs.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Win: Austin Gerber (2-1) (2.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K)
  • Loss: Josh Sharik (0-2) (1.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K)
  • Save: Kyle Zurak (3) (2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K)
  • Radford scored its first run of the game in the bottom of the second as Clayton Baine collected a one-out double off the left-center field wall, just missing his second career home run. Baine later swiped third base, scoring a wild throw by the Broncs' catcher.
  • The Highlanders have collected 26 hits in the series, marking their third straight game with double-digit hits.
  • On the season, Radford has collected double-digit hits in seven games.
  • Seven different Highlanders collected a hit.
  • Adam Whitacre, Jonathan Gonzalez and Spencer Horwitz led the way with two hits each.
  • Matt Roth and Gonzalez extended their hitting streaks to nine games, longest by a Highlander player this season.
  • Roth has reached base safely in the last 14 games.
  • Kyle Butler now leads the team with 12 RBIs, while Horwitz collected his ninth RBI.
  • Battling through the delay, Radford starter Danny Hrbek yielded only one run on four hits in five innings pitched.
  • Radford scored first 10 times on the season, improving to 5-5 in those games.
  • The Highlanders improve to 3-1 in Saturday games.  
  • The win ensured the Highlanders the series win, their second straight.

QUOTABLE
  • "We faced a really good arm today in Nick Margevicius. We had some really big hits for the second straight game and some huge double plays that got us out of difficult situations. Kyle Butler was outstanding today, he just keeps hitting. I thought the team played really well. [Austin] Gerber did a great job out of the bullpen to put us in a good situation to win. Kyle Zurak did what he's supposed to do, which is to put away games. I'm proud of our effort and we have a chance tomorrow to put this series away." ~ Radford head coach Joe Raccuia
 
UP NEXT
  • Radford looks to go for its first sweep of 2017 with 2 p.m. Sunday series finale.
  • Ryan Sande (0-2, 4.73) will face off against Paul Sparano (0-2, 12.19) on the mound.
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