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Radford University Athletics

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Wise-20180504
Radford Athletics Communications
5
Radford RAD 20-24
6
Winner Georgia Tech GT 25-21
Radford RAD
20-24
5
Final
6
Georgia Tech GT
25-21
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Radford RAD 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 5 7 2
Georgia Tech GT 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 3 6 16 2

W: Archer, A (4-0) L: Palmer, Kyle (2-2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

RADFORD DROPS HEART-WRENCHING GAME TO GEORGIA TECH

GAME INFORMATION
  • Georgia Tech 6, Radford 5
  • Records: Yellow Jackets (25-21) | Highlanders (20-24)
  • Location: Russ Chandler Stadium | Atlanta, Ga.
                                      
ATLANTA – Radford dropped a heart-wrenching 6-5 loss to Georgia Tech on Friday night as the Yellow Jackets plated three runs in the bottom of the ninth for the comeback victory inside Russ Chandler Stadium.
 
Radford's five runs came on seven hits as four different Highlanders collected an RBI led by a 2 for 3 performance from Luke Wise. The redshirt senior provided runs on a solo home run and a triple. In addition, Wise scored two runs and was the only Highlander with a multi-hit game.
 
The Highlanders' hot bats arrived in hot Atlanta early as Wise opened the game with a leadoff home run to right field for his second round-tripper of the 2018.
 
Making his first career Friday night start, Austin Ross took the early lead and held the Atlantic Coast Conference's leading offensive team to three hits through the first three frames, striking out three.
 
The Yellow Jackets got to Ross in the fourth as a pair of singles set up an Austin Wilhite double to left-center, knotting the game at one. Ross battled back, forcing a pop up and fly out to strand two runners.
 
Radford's offense made some more noise in the fifth as Straton Podaras led off the inning with strange occurrence events. Podaras lifted a 1-0 pitch off the top of the left field wall, that bounced up in the air and back onto to the playing field. The sophomore raced around the bases for his first career home run.
 
Taking a 2-1 lead, Garrett Matheny reached on a bunt single for only the third Highlander base hit. Following two fly outs and a Matheny stolen base, Wise stepped up the plate with a chance to extend the Radford lead.
 
With a 1-2 count, Wise lifted another ball to right field, hitting off the top of the wall in the same fashion as Podaras' home run. The result was not the same as Wise stopped at third base, pushing the Radford lead to two runs.
 
Ross was lifted in the bottom half of the fourth inning after allowing six hits and striking out four Yellow Jackets. Mack Krupp took over for his fellow redshirt senior on the mound.
 
Georgia Tech touched up Krupp early in the frame with three hits and one Highlander error in the fifth inning. The Yellow Jackets knotted the game on a Joey Bart sacrifice fly and Tristin English RBI single.
 
The two teams held one another scoreless for the next two frames until the Highlanders struck for two more runs in the eighth.
 
Will Harless led off the inning with a single through the left side. Harless was erased on a Wise fielders' choice bunt. After Wise swiped second base, Kyle Butler reached on a fielding error by the Georgia Tech first baseman, putting Highlanders on the corners.
 
Spencer Horwitz put the Highlanders in the catbird seat once again with a single through the left side for his team leading 32nd RBI. Following a Matt Roth ground out, Colby Higgerson placed a perfectly executed bunt single that kept the Yellow Jackets from making a play.
 
The Highlanders were unable to add a third run in the frame as Higgerson broke for second forcing a throw as Horwitz broke home but was thrown out on the attempted double steal.
 
After the two-run fifth inning, Krupp retired seven of the nine batters he faced, giving up only two hits before turning the ball over to Kyle Palmer.
 
Palmer worked out of a jam in the bottom of the eighth after allowing back-to-back one-out singles to hold the Radford 5-3 lead intact.
 
Following a three up, three down ninth inning by the Highlanders, Palmer struck out the first two batters he faced. Needing only one out to secure Radford's second win over an ACC foe on the season, the Yellow Jackets put two runners on base via a single up the middle and fielding error.
 
A passed ball allowed the two runners to move into scoring position and Oscar Serratos lined a single into right field, knotting the game at five. Serratos swiped second base, setting up a Whilhite walk-off ground rule double for the Georgia Tech 6-5 comeback win.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
  • Win: Andy Archer (4-0) (2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K)
  • Loss: Kyle Palmer (2-2) (2.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K)
  • Austin Ross lowered his ERA to 3.34 after allowing only one earned run in a four-inning start.
  • Luke Wise's multi-hit game is his second on the season and first since Feb. 27.
  • Wise is 5 for 14 with seven runs scored and three RBIs since April 25 after returning from an injury.
  • The triple was the sixth of his career and the 16th by a Highlander in 2018.
  • Straton Podaras' first collegiate home run is the 10th different Highlander to hit one on the season.
  • Podaras and Wise's home runs give Radford 28 in 2018.
  • Radford's multi-home run game is its fifth on the season and first in non-conference play.
  • The Highlanders placed four leadoff batters on base in nine opportunities. Only two Yellow Jacket leadoff batters reached safely.
  • Radford went 3 for 12 with runners on base, while Georgia Tech was 8 for 19.
  • Georgia Tech stranded 10 runners on base and Radford left three.
 
ON DECK
  • Radford will look to even the series on Saturday against the Yellow Jackets.
  • First pitch is slated for 4 p.m.
  • Probables: LHP Hunter Williams (1-3, 4.84) vs. LHP Connor Thomas (5-3, 3.04)
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