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Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
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Jonathan Huff (www.apertureone.net)
8
Presbyterian PC 13-31, 6-13 BSC
9
Winner Radford RAD 18-23, 9-10 BSC
Presbyterian PC
13-31, 6-13 BSC
8
Final
9
Radford RAD
18-23, 9-10 BSC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Presbyterian PC 2 1 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 8 12 1
Radford RAD 0 0 0 0 4 1 1 1 2 9 14 0

W: Palmer, Kyle (2-1) L: HEDRICK, Ryan (1-3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

RADFORD TAKES SERIES OPENER ON WALK-OFF DROPPED POP-UP

GAME INFORMATION
  • Radford 9, Presbyterian 8
  • Records: Highlanders (18-23, 9-10 Big South) | Blue Hose (13-31, 6-13 Big South)
  • Location: Carter Memorial Stadium | Radford, Va.
                                      
RADFORD, Va. – Radford battled back from two three-run deficits to earn a 9-8 walk-off win in the series opener against Presbyterian as the Blue Hose dropped a two-out infield pop-up in the bottom of the ninth, giving the Highlanders their third walk-off win inside Carter Memorial Stadium.
 
Already with wins off an inside the park walk-off home run and a walk-off wild pitch on the season, Radford added another unusual walk-off win to the season on a dropped pop-up.
 
Having battled back once from a three-run deficit on the night, Radford trailed 8-5 after a five-run seventh inning by the Blue Hose.
 
Radford added runs in the seventh and eighth, inching within 8-7 of Presbyterian. With five Highlanders finishing with two-hit games on the evening, Spencer Horwitz led off the ninth with a single to right-center. However, he was replaced on first base by Matt Roth as he grounded into a 6-4 fielders' choice to retire Horwitz.  
 
Following a Colby Higgerson strikeout for the second out of the frame, Straton Podaras was hit by a pitch for the 10th time on the season to put two runners on. Down to his last strike, Garrett Matheny knotted the game at eight as the freshman lined a single down the left field line to plate Roth.
 
Entering the game in the eighth inning as a pinch runner, Richard De la Cruz worked a full count against Presbyterian closer Ryan Hedrick. On the sixth pitch of the at bat, De la Cruz hit an infield pop-up toward the left side of the infield, drifting toward the edge of the infield grass.
 
Tannor Byrd replaced Colton Chapman at third base to start the bottom half of the frame. Calling off the shortstop, Byrd settled under the ball, however the ball hit the bottom part of his glove. As the ball hit the ground, Podaras crossed home plate as the Highlanders were running on the pitch for the walk-off win in the series opener.
 
The first error of the contest by either team resulted in the ninth Radford run and the Highlanders' ninth Big South victory of 2018.  
 
Radford fought back from its first three-run deficit midway through the game as Presbyterian opened the contest with three solo home runs in the first two innings, highlighted by two in the top of the first.
 
Held to two hits in the first four frames, Radford erupted for four runs on four hits in the fifth inning to take a 4-3 lead. Podaras lined a one-out triple to right-center field for his first career triple, scoring three pitches later on a Matheny single.
 
Radford quickly loaded the bases on a Carlin Christian bunt single and a Luke Wise walk. Kyle Butler added the second run as he took a pitch off the helmet, picking up the tough RBI.
 
Inching with one run, Horwitz lined a single into left-center, plating two runs just in time as he was thrown out at second on an attempt to stretch the single into a double.
 
The four-run inning ignited the Highlanders as Will Harless extended the lead to 5-3 on a two-out single in the sixth inning. However, Radford's two-run edge quickly disappeared after a five-run seventh inning on five hits by the Blue Hose, turned the game into an 8-5 Presbyterian lead.
 
Radford got a run back in the bottom half of the frame as Christian hit a solo home run to left field and Wise set up the ninth inning rally with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning. Stranding two on base in the eighth and seven in the game, Radford was able to claw back one time for the walk-off win.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Win: Kyle Palmer (2-1) (2.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K)
  • Loss: Ryan Hedrick (1-3) (1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K)
  • Palmer's four strikeouts match a career best set on March 22, 2014.
  • Radford starter Hunter Williams settled down for four strikeouts after giving up the three early home runs.
  • The two teams combined for eight extra-base hits as Presbyterian was responsible for six of the home runs.
  • Kyle Butler, Spencer Horwitz, Garrett Matheny, Will Harless and Carlin Christian finished with two hits each.
  • Butler's multi-hit game is his 17th on the season, marking his 14th two-hit game.
  • Horwitz and Matheny provided two RBIs each.
  • The two-RBI game is the team leading sixth multi-RBI game on the season for Horwitz.
  • Matheny collected his second multi-RBI game.
  • Straton Podaras scored three runs in a game for the second time on the season.
  • Three Highlanders were hit by a pitch as Radford has totaled 47 on the season.
 
ON DECK
  • Radford will look to take the series on Saturday in a 4 p.m., matchup as the Highlanders go for their fourth straight Big South series win.
  • Probables: RHP Austin Ross (6-4, 3.45) vs. RHP Will Smith (2-3, 6.23)
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