Radford Athletics Communications
SETTING THE STAGE
- Opponent: Appalachian State
- Series: Mountaineers lead 12-6
- Location: Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium (Boone, N.C.)
- The Mountaineers won the first matchup on April 3 with a 5-1 decision in Radford.
- Radford's last win over Appalachian State came on April 26, 2011 with a 3-1 victory in the New River Valley.
- The Highlanders last win in Boone came on April 1, 1997 in an 8-5 victory.
- Live Video
- Live Stats
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PROBABLES
Tuesday, May 15 – 5 p.m.
RHP Ryan Bywaters (0-1, 6.84) vs. RHP Garret Price (3-4, 4.07)
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HIGHLANDER HITS & TIDBITS
- Current record: (22-28) | Home: (10-8) | Away: (12-18) | Neutral (0-2)
- Big South (13-11)
- Streak: L1
- Radford snapped its four-game skid with a series win at Liberty, outscoring the Flames 14-7 in the first two games of the series to earn its first series win in Lynchburg since 2011. The Highlanders series win over the Flames is the first since 2015.
- Radford's offense totaled 24 runs on 27 hits with all 24 runs coming as RBIs in the series.
- Will Harless finished the series with seven RBIs, including a career-high four RBIs on Friday night. Spencer Horwitz and Straton Podaras finished with four RBIs each in the series.
- Radford's bullpen tossed 11.1 frames without allowing a run until the fifth inning on Sunday against the Flames
- Ten different Highlanders have double-digit RBIs on the season. Horwitz (39) and Matt Roth (33) are the only two players with 30-plus RBIs.
- Harless became the sixth Highlander to drive in 20 runs on the season, while Garrett Matheny needs one RBI to become the seventh.
- A season ago, Radford only had three players finish with 30-plus RBIs
- Horwitz and Roth collected multi-hit games over the weekend for 16 on the season, trailing Kyle Butler's 19 multi-hit games.
- Roth's multi-hit game on Tuesday moves him into a tie with Horwitz for second on the team, trailing Butler's 19 games.Â
- With several Highlanders having multi-RBI games over the weekend, Radford now has six Highlanders with five-plus multi-RBI games in 2018.
- Radford has tallied 121 extra-base hits on the season, ranking 28th nationally with 16 triples.
- As a team, Radford has 35 sacrifice bunts, ranking 54th nationally. Colby Higgerson has three games with two sacrifice bunts as his eight sac bunts are second in the conference.
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RACCUIA MOVES INTO THIRD IN BIG SOUTH WINS
- With two wins over the weekend, head coach Joe Raccuia collected his 150th Big South win, moving into third all-time in league history.
- Raccuia passed former Liberty head coach Jim Toman for third place, possessing a 150-119 over his 11 seasons as the helm of the Highlanders.
- Coastal Carolina's Garry Gilmore holds the record with 331 wins in 21 seasons apart of the Big South, while Winthrop's Joe Hudak is second with 261 victories in 19 years.
- Raccuia also ranks fourth in the Big South overall record with 319 wins at Radford. He is nine wins from passing Toman for third in that category.
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RADFORD WITH RBI CHANCES
- Radford is 132 for 536 (.246) with runners in scoring position.
- Radford was 10 for 36 in the situation over the weekend at Liberty.
- Spencer Horwitz leads the team with a 19 for 62 effort, hitting .306 with runners in scoring position.
- Following is Kyle Butler and Straton Podaras with a .302 clip, collecting 16 hits in 53 chances.
- Eight Highlanders have double-digit hits in the situation and four are hitting over .300.
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ODDS & ENDS
- Radford leadoff batters have reached base safely 40.2 percent of the time this season. The Highlanders have placed at least six leadoff guys on base 11 times on the season.
- Opposing teams have outscored Radford 45-25 in the first inning, while the Highlanders have battled back in the second with a 39-24 edge. Radford has plated 43 runs in the third inning for the most in any frame.
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INSIDE BIG SOUTH PLAY
- Radford is hitting .241 as a team, while foes are hitting .280 off Highlander pitchers.
- Spencer Horwitz is 29 for 104 with a .279 clip against non-conference teams.
- Five Highlanders have double-digit RBIs with Horwitz leading with 15 RBIs and Kyle Butler follows with 14.
- Only 10 of Radford's 31 home runs have come in non-conference action.
- Matt Roth has hit three of his five round-trippers against non-Big South foes.
- Radford is 31 for 45 on the bases as six Highlanders have three-plus steals.
- The Highlanders have only grounded into 11 double plays among the 26 non-conference games.
- On mound, Ryan Sande holds a 1.93 ERA in 23.1 innings (five starts), possessing a .188 BAA.
- In his last five games against non-conference teams, Mack Krupp has yielded only three earned runs over 14.2 innings, striking out 11.
- Austin Gerber commands a 2-2 record and 3.63 ERA in nine games (17.1 innings) out of the Radford bullpen.
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ON THE RUBBER
- As a team, Radford possesses a 5.06 ERA, ranking fifth in the conference. Limiting opponents to a .264 average, Radford is fourth in the category.
- Highlander pitchers have struck out 310 in 442.2 frames, ranking ninth in the Big South.Â
- As a team, Radford has seven double-digit strikeout games with three coming in league action.
- Of Radford's weekend rotation, Austin Ross ranks ninth with a 3.75 ERA. Ross holds a 3.44 ERA in non-conference play and a 3.89 in Big South games. Â
- With 64 strikeouts in 60.0 innings and walking only 17, Ross is second in the conference with a 3.76 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
- Winning three of his last five starts, Ross leads the Big South with eight wins, ranking tied 22nd nationally.
- With a 3.89 ERA in Big South games, Ross is holding opposing bats to a .231 average, while Hunter Williams holds opposing conference teams to a .248 clip.
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BULLPEN GUYS
- Radford's bullpen holds a 5.35 ERA, possessing 15 of Radford's 22 wins.
- Austin Ross has four of the wins, while Cameron Fritz holds a 3-1 record, earning a win in three of his last six appearances.
- Mack Krupp leads the way with a 2.45 ERA in 14.2 frames out of the bullpen. Fritz follows with a 3.04 clip in 23.2 innings.
- Kyle Palmer has four of Radford's nine saves, striking out 23 in 26.2 frames.
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HIGHLANDERS AGAINST SOUTHPAWS
- Radford has fared better against left-handed pitchers through 50 games.
- In the three-game series at Liberty, Radford did not face a single left-handed pitcher.
- The Highlanders are 110 for 410 against lefties for a .268 clip.
- Kyle Butler leads the way with 16 hits, while Spencer Horwitz follows with 15.
- Straton Podaras boasts a .343 clip, collecting 12 hits in 35 at bats.
- After allowing 11 hits in 23 at bats to Virginia on April 11, Radford had held opposing southpaws to a 40 for 191 mark until Liberty went 17 for 60 in a heavy left-handed line up.
- On the season, opposing left-handers are hitting .252 against Radford pitching.
- Redshirt senior southpaw Mack Krupp has held opposing lefties to a .172 clip with 10 hits in 58 at bats.
- Austin Gerber holds a .207 average, limiting to 12 hits in 58 at bats.
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PLAYING IN THE DIRT
- Radford ranks third in the Big South with a .971 fielding percentage.
- The Highlanders have committed 55 errors as Liberty leads the league with only 43 miscues.
- In 50 games, Radford has played 20 clean baseball games.
- Only 14 times have the Highlanders committed two-plus errors in a game.
- Radford has turned 38 double plays, which second in the league.
- Spencer Horwitz is errorless in 430 chances.
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HIGHLANDERS GET AROUND THE BASES
- On the base paths, Radford is 70 for 101, which is third most steals in the league.
- Radford is 39 for 56 against Big South opponents.
- Fourteen different Highlanders have swiped a base this season with 11 swiping three-plus.
- Radford is one of three Big South teams with 70-plus stolen bases.
- The 69 stolen bases rank 49th in the country, while 1.40 steals per game mark is 53rd.
- Kyle Butler and Colby Higgerson are two of 13 Big South players to swipe 10-plus bases
- Radford is one of three teams with two players inside the Top 12.
- Butler leads the team as he is 11 for 15 on the base paths.Â
- Higgerson follows with 10 steals in 14 opportunities, while Garrett Matheny is 9 for 12.
- As a team, Radford has six games with four-plus stolen bases.
- The Highlanders are 25 for 37 over the last 18 games.
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SCOUTING APPALACHIAN STATE
- Current record: (17-33) | Home: (5-10) | Away: (12-22) | Neutral: (0-1)
- Sun Belt: (8-19)
- Streak: L1
- Since playing Radford on April 3, Appalachian State is 10-14.
- Ranking 12th in the Sun Belt with a .205 average, Appalachian State does not sport a batter hitting over .300.
- Alex Leshock leads the Mountaineers with a .244 clip, swiping 10 bases in 13 attempts.
- With only two players driving in 20-plus runs, Conner Leonard paces with 25 RBIs.
- Joel McDaniel leads the way with 13 doubles and five home runs.
- The Mountaineers hold a 4.63 team ERA, which ranks seventh in the Sun Belt.
- Out of the bullpen, Will Sprinkle is 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA in 11 games with 44.0 innings.
- Luke Watts has closed out nine games, striking out 35 in 35.2 innings.
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ON DECK
- Radford welcomes the 2018 Big South Regular Season Champions into town for the final conference weekend series.
- The Highlanders will host Campbell in a Thursday, Friday and Saturday series.
- Campbell leads the all-time series 30-20.
- Radford has won the last five series against the Fighting Camels since they rejoined the Big South in 2012.
- In the last 10 meetings, Radford is 9-1, holding a 4-2 mark at home during that span.
- Radford has swept two of the last three series (2015, 2017) with both coming on the road. Â
Players Mentioned
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- INF
- 5' 9"
- Redshirt Junior
- R/R
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- INF
- 6' 2"
- Redshirt Sophomore
- R/R
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- LHP
- 5' 11"
- Redshirt Senior
- R/L
-
- LHP
- 6' 0"
- Redshirt Senior
- L/L
-
- RHP
- 6' 1"
- Redshirt Senior
- R/R
Players Mentioned
-
-
- 5' 9"
- Redshirt Junior
- R/R
-
- INF
-
-
- 6' 2"
- Redshirt Sophomore
- R/R
-
- INF
-
-
- 5' 11"
- Redshirt Senior
- R/L
-
- LHP
-
-
- 6' 0"
- Redshirt Senior
- L/L
-
- LHP
-
-
- 6' 1"
- Redshirt Senior
- R/R
-
- RHP
