HIGHLANDERS SET TO OPEN SEASON AT NO. 11 RANKED EAST CAROLINA; SCHEDULE CHANGES ANNOUNCED DUE TO POTENTIAL INCLEMENT WEATHER

SETTING THE SCENE
Radford (0-0,0-0 Big South) vs. No. 11 East Carolina (0-0, 0-0 American Conference)
Date: Feb 15-16
Where: Greenville, NC (Lewis Field at Clark-Leclair Stadium)
Time: (Game 1, Friday) 2:00 p.m. | (Game 2, Friday) approximately 45 minutes after game one | (Game 3, Saturday) TBA
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PITCHING MATCH-UPS
Game 1 -LHP Zack Ridgely (7-5, 2.84 ERA, 2017 stats) vs. LHP Alec Burleson (5-2, 3.33 ERA, 2018 stats)
Game 2- LHP Hunter Williams (1-4, 4.71 ERA, 2018 stats) vs. LHP Jake Agnos (4-4, 4.10 ERA, 2018 stats)
Game 3- RHP Cole Dunn (First start) vs. RHP Tyler Smith (7-1, 1.78 ERA, 2018 stats)

HIGHLANDER FOCUS
Although finishing above .500 (14-13) in Big South play, Radford is eager to put the 2018 season behind them, a campaign in which the program was decimated with injuries to some of their key players. The ace of the pitching staff is most certainly senior southpaw Zack Ridgely. The 2017 Big South Pitcher of the Year will return from injury after redshirting a season ago. Ridgely fashioned a 7-5 record with a dominant 2.84 ERA in 2017, limiting hitters to a measly .214 batting average to go along with 85 punch-outs in 95.0 innings. 2018 Big South First Team All-Conference pick Spencer Horwitz (.288/7 HR/43 RBI) will shift from first base to left field. Virginia Tech transfer 1B J.D. Mundy batted .257 with seven homers and 23 RBI last season. OF Andrew Szamski (.336/4 HR/21 RBI, .961 OPS), put up great offensive numbers and flashed solid leather in 2018.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT
East Carolina finished 44-18 last season and were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament at the Greenville Region. LF Bryant Packard (.406, 14 HR, 50 RBI), 1B Spencer Brickhouse (.298, 10 HR, 50 RBI) and 2B Brady Lloyd (.322, 16-18 SB) are the Pirates top returners. RHP Taylor Smith (7-1, 1.78 ERA) and LHP Alec Burleson (5-2, 3.33 ERA) are the top returning starters.

UP NEXT
Radford will travel to Spartanburg, South Carolina to take on VCU (Feb. 22), Pittsburgh (Feb. 23) and Wofford (Feb. 24).

FOLLOW RADFORD BASEBALL
To follow the Radford baseball team, visit RadfordAthletics.com, follow @RadfordBaseball on Twitter, 'RadfordBaseball' on Instagram or Radford Baseball on Facebook.

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Players Mentioned

#13 Spencer Horwitz: INF; 6' 0"; Junior; L/R

#26 Zack Ridgely: LHP; 5' 11"; Redshirt Senior; L/L

#8 Andrew Szamski: OF; 6' 0"; Redshirt Senior; R/R

#32 J.D. Mundy: 1B; Junior; L/R

Players Mentioned

#13 Spencer Horwitz
: 6' 0"; Junior; L/R
: INF

#26 Zack Ridgely
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Senior; L/L
: LHP

#8 Andrew Szamski
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Senior; R/R
: OF

#32 J.D. Mundy
: Junior; L/R
: 1B