Birmingham, Alabama - - - The Radford baseball team was defeated in the nightcap of a doubleheader, 5-1, against the UAB Blazers on Saturday evening at Young Memorial Field. The Highlanders fell to 3-7 while the Blazers improved to 9-3.
 
Radford's hitters could only manage four hits in the contest and fanned eleven times. Third baseman Matt Roth drove in the Highlanders' lone run of the game with an RBI single. Right fielder Andrew Szamski and catcher Straton Podaras both went 1-for-3 with a walk and second baseman Colby Higgerson walked twice.
 
Right-hander Cole Dunn had a solid outing but suffered his first career loss after allowing three earned runs in five innings of work. Dunn scattered five hits, walked just one and fanned one Blazer.
 
UAB scored an unearned run in the bottom of the first inning as left fielder Colton Schultz (4 RBI) grounded out to shortstop David Bryant, scoring center fielder Jess Davis, who had reached on an error by Bryant.
 
The Blazers scored three more times in the bottom of the fifth to take a 4-0 advantage.  Davis hit an RBI sacrifice fly and Schultz doubled to right center to drive in two more.
 
The Highlanders would score their only run in the top of the seventh to close within 4-1. Podaras singled up the middle with one out and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Higgerson then walked to bring up designated hitter Jimmy Goldsmith, who lined out back to the box.  Roth followed with a two-out single to left field to score Podaras. Bryant, however, grounded out to strand two runners.
 
UAB scored the final run of the game on an RBI single by Schultz.
 
Radford will play their home opener against William & Mary on Wednesday afternoon.