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Radford Athletics Communications
6
Winner Radford RAD 24-30
3
High Point HPU 29-22
Winner
Radford RAD
24-30
6
Final
3
High Point HPU
29-22
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Radford RAD 2 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 6 7 2
High Point HPU 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 4 4

W: Ridgely, Zack (7-5) L: GOTTFRIED, Andrew (4-3) S: Zurak, Kyle (9)

Game Recap: Baseball |

RADFORD ADVANCES TO WINNER'S BRACKET IN 6-3 WIN OVER HPU



GAME INFORMATION
  • Score: No. 5 Radford 6, No. 4 High Point 3
  • Records: Highlanders (24-30) | Panthers (29-22)
  • Location: Lexington County Baseball Stadium | Lexington, S.C.
 
LEXINGTON, S.C. – After waiting two days before getting a chance to open the 2017 Big South Baseball Championships, No. 5 Radford almost had to wait three days as the Highlanders took control early in the 11:45 p.m. start, taking a 6-3 victory over No. 4 High Point in the opening round of the tournament.
 
The Highlanders received timely hitting and strong pitching from its core as the early morning victory put Radford in the winner's bracket. Radford will now play No. 1 Winthrop later Friday night in game eight, slated for an estimated 8 p.m. start.
 
Matt Roth and Spencer Horwitz combined for five RBIs on four hits, while Jonathan Gonzalez scored all three times he reached base. On the mound, starter Zack Ridgely teamed up with closer Kyle Zurak as the Highlanders held the Panthers to four hits, combing for 10 strikeouts.  
 
Radford kicked off the late-night contest by loading the bases with two outs as Danny Hrbek opened with a single, followed by a Gonzalez hit by pitch and Horwitz reaching on a fielding error.
 
Entering the tournament 3 for his last 46, Roth killed the slump with a two-RBI single to center field as the Highlanders wasted little time bringing the coffee as the fourth game of the delayed tournament passed midnight.
 
The Panthers only run in the first five innings came in the bottom half of the second as Brian Schunk collected the first HPU hit on a single up the middle, moving to second on a ground out. Schunk would later score as Horwitz was unable to smoother a Hunter Lee ground ball down the first base line as the ball bounced off the freshman into right field.
 
Radford bats continued to stay hot as the Highlanders put runners on the corners in the third inning with two outs. The Highlanders picked up two runs on a pair of RBI singles as Horwitz singled through the left side and Roth singled to left field. Scoring its first four runs with two outs, Radford jumped out to a commanding 4-1 lead.
 
Ridgely allowed only three base runners over the next three innings, two coming on singles. Looking as if the junior was going to cruise through the final frames, Ridgely was lifted due to a rising pitch count after surrendering a seven-pitch walk to Carson Jackson in the bottom of the sixth.
 
Closer Kyle Zurak came out of the bullpen to a Panther ambush. High Point with two runners on base, scored on a passed ball and RBI ground out.
 
Radford grabbed the two runs back as Kyle Butler reached on High Point's fourth fielding error to start the seventh, eventually scoring on a Gonzalez single through the left side. Gonzalez moved up on a passed ball, allowing Horwitz to drive a 3-2 pitch through the left side for the Highlanders' sixth run.
 
Zurak allowed two base runners over the final three frames with only one coming on a hit, striking out five over the stretch to earn his ninth save on the season.
 
High Point had a runner reach third as a result of a throwing error, defensive indifference and a wild pitch; but was unable to scratch scoring column.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Win: Zack Ridgely (7-5) (5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K)
  • Loss: Andrew Gottfried (4-3) (3.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K)
  • Save: Kyle Zurak (9) (3.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K)
  • The win improves Radford to 6-8 as the No. 5 seed and 3-3 against High Point in the tournament.
  • The Highlanders are now 7-2 in its last three conference tournaments.
  • Radford improves to 11-5 when scoring in the first inning and 5-9 in night games.
  • The neutral site marked the second on the season for the Highlanders.
  • After only striking out double-digit batters once in the last nine games, Radford finished with 10 strikeouts.
  • The win is the 16th of Ridgely's career, moving him into sole possession of eighth all-time.
  • Zurak's 10th career save moves him within one of a two-way tie for seventh in program history.
  • Finishing with a five-strikeout effort, Zurak crossed the 100-strikeout plateau, giving him 104 in his career.
  • Ridgely is now six away from 200 in his career.
  • Collecting seven hits, Radford has now been held under double-digit hits for eight straight games.
  • With his 15th multi-hit effort on the season, Matt Roth collects his first since May 9th.
  • The three RBIs are a career best for the freshman.
  • Spencer Horwitz finished as the only other Highlander with multiple hits, collecting his 18th on the season.
  • Horwitz drove in two runs, marking the eighth time he has finished with a multi-RBI game.  
  • Jonathan Gonzalez matches a career-high three runs scored.
  • Adam Whitacre, Danny Hrbek and Gonzalez collected the other Radford hits.
  • Radford left seven runners on base, while High Point left five.
  • Matt Hodges was strong out of the High Point, yielding only two hits, while striking out 10 batters.
  • The game ended at 3:01 a.m.

QUOTABLE
  • "[Zack] Ridgley and [Kyle] Zurak were outstanding today in combining to get us a win on the first day of the tournament. We had some big clutch hits and we took advantage of some of their miscues. It was a long day, but we battled hard for this win." ~ Radford head coach Joe Raccuia
 
ON DECK
  • Radford will take on No. 1 Winthrop in game eight of the championships in Friday's second winner's bracket game. First pitch is slated for 8 p.m.
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