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Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
roth
8
Winner Radford RAD 3-5
7
UAB UAB 7-3
Winner
Radford RAD
3-5
8
Final
7
UAB UAB
7-3
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 R H E
Radford RAD 0 0 0 2 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 8 13 3
UAB UAB 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 7 12 1

W: Firoved, Graham (1-0) L: HARRIS, Ty (0-1) S: Gerber, Austin (1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

HIGHLANDERS OPEN UAB SERIES WITH THRILLING 8-7 WIN IN THIRTEEN INNINGS

Birmingham, Alabama - - - Radford third baseman Matt Roth belted a 2-run homer in the top of the 13th inning to help lift the Highlanders to an 8-7 victory over the UAB Blazers, on Friday evening at Regions Field. The Highlanders improved to 3-5 while the Blazers fell to 7-3.
 
Roth went hitless in his first six at-bats on the evening but drilled a 3-2 pitch over the left center field wall to plate shortstop Colby Higgerson (2-for-6, 2 runs), who also came through with a 1-out triple on the previous at bat.  First baseman Spencer Horwitz (2-for-5, RBI) added a much-needed insurance run with a two-out single that drove in second baseman David Bryant (2-for-5, BB, 2 RBI's), who had singled and swiped second base.
 
RHP Austin Gerber rescued Higgerson (0.1 inn, 2 hits, 2 runs, HBP) in the bottom of the 13th to close the door on the Blazers and pick up the save. After walking his first batter to put runners on first and second, Gerber retired right fielder Zack Davis and catcher J. Paul Fullerton on fly balls to left field, ending the contest after nearly five hours of action.
 
The Highlander relief core of Cameron Fritz (4.0 inn., 1 hit), Brandon Donovan (2.2 inn., 1 hit) and Graham Firoved (1.0, 1 hit) were the heroes of the night as they failed to allow a single run in 7.2 innings of work to give their team a chance to come out on top. The trio also scattered just three hits against a hot-hitting Blazer offense.
 
Starter Zack Ridgely (1-0) received a no-decision after he allowed three earned runs in 4.1 innings of work on the night. The left-hander allowed seven hits, walked two and fanned one batter.
 
The Blazers jumped Ridgely quickly as third baseman Austin Triplett hit a 2-run homer after center fielder Jess Davis was plunked to open the bottom of the first inning.
 
The hosts added two more runs in the bottom of the second to grab a 4-0 lead.  Davis delivered an RBI groundout to score second baseman Blake Johnson, who led-off with a double to center. First baseman Carter Pharis later singled down the left field line to plate Triplett (single). Highlander left fielder Adam Whitacre saved another run on the play as he gunned down left fielder Colton Schultz, who had reached on a throwing error by first baseman Spencer Horwitz.
 
Radford got a pair of runs back in the top of the fourth inning on three hits and a walk off starter Tanner Graham.
 
An RBI sacrifice fly by pinch hitter Jimmy Goldsmith put the visitors on the board for the first time. Horwitz, who opened the inning with a walk came around to score after advancing to third base on a single down the right field line by right fielder Andrew Szamski (2-for-7, 2 runs). Whitacre followed with a single to right to move Szamski over to third. Catcher Straton Podaras then followed with an RBI single to score Szamski and Whitacre advanced to third. Radford was unable to do any more damage as Higgerson hit into a fielder's choice that resulted in Whitacre being thrown out at the plate. Third baseman Matt Roth lined out to the pitcher to end the frame.
 
The Blazers scored another unearned run in the bottom of the fifth as Davis produced an RBI single to center. Pharis scored after he drew a 1-out walk and advanced to second on a throwing error by Ridgely, who had tried to pick him off at first. Ridgely then exited the game and right-hander Fritz came on two get the next two outs to end the frame. Podaras helped the cause by throwing out Davis as he tried to swipe second.
 
The Highlanders got even with three runs on three hits and an error in the sixth. Radford chased Graham after he yielded a walk to Goldsmith and a single to Szamski. Whitacre then reached on a throwing error by shortstop Justin Wiley. Szamski scored on the play but Goldsmith was thrown out at second. Podaras was then hit by a pitch and Higgerson singled to left to load the bases for Roth with two outs. Roth hit into a 5-2 fielder's choice, but Bryant came through with a clutch, two-run single to left to tie the game. Higgerson and Podaras scored on the play.
 
Radford had the bases juiced with two outs in the top of the seventh but were unable to push across the go-ahead run as Higgerson went down swinging on a 2-2 pitch by reliever Matthew Calvert.
 
Fritz was tremendous in the late innings as he allowed just one hit over 4.0 innings and kept the Blazers off the scoreboard.
 
The hosts had an opportunity to walk it off in the bottom of the ninth. After recording the opening out in the ninth, Fritz hit Davis on a 1-0 pitch to give the hosts a spark. The right-handed Donovan came on in relief to pitch to Triplett. Davis stole second base before Triplett would pop up to Podaras for the second out. The Highlanders elected to intentionally walk Schultz to face Pharis. It turned out to be the right move as Pharis fouled out to Horwitz to end the threat.
 
The Highlanders went down 1-2-3 in the top of the tenth, setting the stage for UAB to nearly end the game. Donovan got the first batter but then yielded a 3-1 double to right by Fullerton. He then hit designated hitter Ian Ladner on the first pitch before plunking Johnson on a 2-2 count. It loaded the bases for pinch hitter Thomas Johns, who got ahead of Donovan 3-0. But Donovan fought back by fanning Johns and then got Davis to fly out to left field to keep the game going until the dramatic 13thinning.
 
Radford will be back in action against UAB on Saturday for a doubleheader beginning at 2:00 p.m.
 
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