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Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
Base-20180524
2
Radford RAD 25-32
3
Winner Liberty LIBERTY 31-25
Radford RAD
25-32
2
Final
3
Liberty LIBERTY
31-25
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E
Radford RAD 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 3 2
Liberty LIBERTY 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 6 0

W: PRICE, G. (7-4) L: Fritz, Cameron (3-2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

RADFORD'S SEASON ENDS ON WALK-OFF IN ELIMINATION GAME

GAME INFORMATION
  • No. 3 Liberty 3, No. 6 Radford 2 (10 innings)
  • Records: Flames (31-25) | Highlanders (25-32)
  • Location: Liberty Baseball Stadium | Lynchburg, Va.
                                      
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Radford's bid to win back-to-back Big South Tournament championships came to a close Thursday afternoon as Tyler Galazin gave No. 3 Liberty a 3-2 walk-off win in 10 innings on a solo home run to left field in the last conference meeting between the two Commonwealth rivals.
 
The game was almost identical to the ending in the 2013 championships that saw Radford defeat Liberty in the first-round game and the Flames eliminate the Highlanders 3-2 via a two-run home run in the ninth. Radford assistant coaches Jeff Kemp and Josh Reavis were in the starting lineup for the 2013 game.
 
In a game limited in the offensive category, Liberty plated the only run of the game for the first four innings, striking first in the second inning. Cam Locklear led off the second on a double down the left field line, moving over on a ground out and scoring on a Dylan Allen sacrifice bunt.
 
Radford was limited to only one hit through the first six innings, however the Highlanders plated a run in the fifth and the sixth.
 
Andrew Szamski led off the fifth with a walk on seven pitches, advancing to third on a pair of wild pitches. The Highlanders were able to knot the game on a Garrett Matheny RBI ground out to shortstop, knotting the game at one.
 
The top of the sixth began the same way as Luke Belanger reached on four straight pitches. Following a wild pitch, Belanger moved to third and Liberty went to its bullpen. Garret Price forced a ground out and Belanger scooted into third with Spencer Horwitz at the dish.
 
With a 0-1 count, Price's second pitch to Horwitz bounced in the dirt as Belanger broke for home. Liberty catcher Jonathan Embry came up with the ball diving toward home as Belanger slide in head first. The ball popped out from Embry's glove and Belanger tumbled over. Attempting to touch home plate, Belanger was run over by Price, who came rushing to the plate.
 
In his best outing of the season, Radford starter Hunter Williams was handed a 2-1 lead. Williams tossed six strong, allowing only one run on two hits, striking out four Flames.
 
Austin Gerber came on out of the Radford bullpen, needing only 10 pitches for a three up, three down seventh inning. Liberty put runners on the corners with one out in the eighth inning against Gerber.
 
Coming out of the bullpen to face the left-handed Flames, Kyle Palmer allowed a single to left field as Liberty knotted the game at two on its fourth hit of the game provided by Embry. Palmer worked himself out of a jam, stranding Flames on the corners.
 
Radford went in order in the ninth and Liberty put two runners on base in the bottom half. After a double and walk, Palmer forced a pair of fly outs to send the game to extras.
 
The top of the ninth saw Straton Podaras reach on a one-out walk and move to third on a Will Harless single into center field. After Harless swiped second base to put two Highlanders into scoring position. Podaras attempted to score the go-ahead Radford run on another dirt ball read but was tagged out at home by Embry, ending the inning.
 
Cameron Fritz relieved Palmer in the 10th inning, retiring the first two batters he faced, before the Galazin two-out walk-off home run.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Win: Garrett Price (7-4) (4.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K)
  • Loss: Cameron Fritz (3-2) (0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K)
  • Hunter Williams struck out four-plus batters for the fifth time on the season.
  • Radford's pitching staff combined for eight strikeouts, while the Highlanders only struck out three times.
  • Kyle Palmer finished the Big South Tournament with four shutout innings out of the Radford bullpen.
  • The Highlanders were held to a tournament low three hits.
  • Liberty left seven runners on base, while Radford stranded only two.
  • With only two players collecting multi-hit games, Will Harless led the Highlanders with a 2 for 4 performance.
  • Andrew Szamski provided the other Radford hit.
  • Radford went 1 for 11 with a runner on base and 0 for 5 with runners on scoring position.
  • Entering the game hitting .268 against left-handed pitching, Radford went 1 for 14 against Liberty starter Vinnie Tarantola.
  • Liberty's D.J. Artis had his on-base streak snapped at 68 straight games.
  • With the loss, Radford finishes 11-4 against Liberty in the Big South Tournament.
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