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Horwitz-20170409
Radford Athletics Communications
9
Winner LIBERTY LIBERTY 17-11
4
Radford RAD 13-16
Winner
LIBERTY LIBERTY
17-11
9
Final
4
Radford RAD
13-16
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
LIBERTY LIBERTY 2 0 1 4 1 0 0 1 0 9 9 0
Radford RAD 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 4 11 8

W: EVANS, C. (5-2) L: Hrbek, Danny (2-3)

6
Winner LIBERTY LIBERTY 18-11
1
Radford RAD 13-17
Winner
LIBERTY LIBERTY
18-11
6
Final
1
Radford RAD
13-17
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
LIBERTY LIBERTY 0 0 0 0 4 0 2 0 0 6 7 0
Radford RAD 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 2

W: PRICE, G. (3-0) L: Ridgely, Zack (3-5)

Game Recap: Baseball |

RADFORD STRUGGLES IN FIELD; DROPS TWIN BILL TO LIBERTY



GAME INFORMATION
  • Game 1: Liberty 9, Radford 4
  • Game 2: Liberty 6, Radford 1
  • Records: Flames (18-11, 6-2) | Highlanders (13-17, 3-5)
  • Location: Radford Baseball Stadium | Radford, Va.  
 
RADFORD, Va. – Radford was unable to continue momentum gained from its extra inning win over Liberty on Tuesday night as the Highlanders committed 10 errors in a Big South doubleheader sweep by the Flames, Saturday afternoon. Liberty outscored Radford 15-5 in the 18-innings played in the twin bill.
 
GAME ONE
 
Liberty's starter Caleb Evans held Radford's lineup to only four hits over six strong innings as the Flames added eight runs over the six innings.
 
The Highlander defense committed seven errors in the first six innings as Liberty plated three runs as a result of the miscues. Jake Barbee highlighted the Flames commanding early lead with a three-run home run in the fourth inning.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Liberty went to its bullpen. Radford welcomed Zach Clinton by loading the bases on singles by Clayton Baine, Cody Schneider and Kyle Butler.
 
Hrbek plated Radford's first run of the game with a one-out single to right field. Straton Podaras followed with a two-run single to center field, pulling Radford within 8-3 of Liberty.
 
With two runners on and one out, Radford was unable to push across anymore runs in the frame.
 
The Flames answered with its ninth run of the game in the top of the eighth, scoring its fourth run on a Highlander error.
 
Richard De la Cruz led off the bottom half of the inning with a double off the right field wall, inches shy of his second home run on the season. Following a Baine ground out, De la Cruz scored on a Schneider ground out to third base for the final run of the curtain raiser as Radford fell 9-4.
 
Win: Caleb Evans (5-2) (6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K)
Loss: Danny Hrbek (2-3) (3.1 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K)
 
GAME TWO
 
The second game of the double-dip was a pitchers' duel early as Radford starter Zack Ridgely held Liberty hitless for the first three innings with two three up, three down innings to start the game. Liberty starter Garret Price held the Highlanders to a lone hit in the first three frames.
 
Spencer Horwitz put Radford on the board with a two-out solo shot to deep right field in the bottom of the fourth inning.
 
The Flames answered the Horwitz home run with a four-spot in the fifth inning, including their second three-run home run on the day, this time off the bat of Sammy Taormina.
 
Radford only managed two more hits over the final five innings as Liberty added two more runs in the seventh inning for a 6-1 game two win to clinch the series victory.
 
Win: Garret Price (3-0) (7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K)
Loss: Zack Ridgely (3-5) (5.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K)
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Radford entered the game having only committed eight errors over their last 11 games, including five error free games, before finishing the doubleheader with 10 miscues.
  • The eight errors in game one are a season high, two shy of matching the program record for most in a game, set on April 22, 1985.
  • The Highlanders had only committed three errors in the first six league games of the season.
  • Spencer Horwitz led Radford with three hits on the day in six at bats, connecting on his second home run of the season and first at home.
  • Kyle Butler, Luke and Starton Podaras finished with two hits each.
  • Podaras collected a two-hit performance in game one, his second multi-hit game on the season.
  • With two RBIs, Podaras now has five on the season.
  • Butler leads the Highlanders with a 12 for 25 showing Big South games.
  • For the first time since May 31, 2015, Kyle Palmer stepped on the rubber as the redshirt junior missed the 2016 season with an injury.
  • Palmer threw 0.2 innings, allowing one hit, while walking two and striking out one.
  • Despite losing 9-4 in the first game, Radford outhit Liberty 11-9 as the Highlanders are 8-2 when outhitting an opponent.
  • The two losses mark the first-time Radford has been swept in a conference doubleheader since April 10, 2016 versus Coastal Carolina.
 
 QUOTABLE
  • "Tough to win baseball games when you don't defend the field and throw enough quality strikes. Liberty did just the opposite today and that's why we were swept in this doubleheader." ~ Radford head coach Joe Raccuia
 
ON DECK
  • Radford and Liberty will play the series finale on Sunday at 2 p.m.
  • The Highlanders will look to salvage the series with a win to avoid being swept in conference play for the first time since May 13-15, 2016 at Liberty.
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