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szamskihistory
11
Winthrop WINTHROP 14-12
20
Winner Radford RAD 13-13
Winthrop WINTHROP
14-12
11
Final
20
Radford RAD
13-13
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Winthrop WINTHROP 0 3 2 1 0 0 0 5 0 11 13 2
Radford RAD 2 1 6 0 3 0 2 6 X 20 21 1

W: Hudson, Bruce (2-1) L: PAWELCZYK, NATE (5-2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

SZAMSKI'S HISTORIC DAY POWERS HIGHLANDERS TO A 20-11 VICTORY AGAINST WINTHROP; RADFORD WINS SEVENTH STRAIGHT

Szamski postgame interview
Head Coach Raccuia postgame interview

Radford, Va. – Right fielder Andrew Szamski etched his name into the Radford baseball history books as the senior led the Highlanders to a 20-11 Big South victory against the Winthrop Eagles, on a picturesque Saturday afternoon at Carter Memorial Stadium. Szamski tied a Radford single-game mark with six hits and 14 total bases after finishing 6-for-6 with two homers, two doubles and eight RBI. Radford has now won seven straight contests and evened their overall record at 13-13. More importantly, the Highlanders upped their conference mark to 6-2 on the campaign.
 
Szamski, who is 9-for-11 with 10 RBI thus far in the series, doubled in consecutive at bats in the second and third innings. He also added home runs in consecutive at bats in the fifth and seventh innings.  The Glen Arm, Maryland native is now tied for the team-lead with six homers and paces the squad with 31 RBI and 67 total bases. He also increased his average to .388, which leads the conference.
 
Center fielder Kyle Butler (3-for-6, 3 RBI), first baseman Spencer Horwitz (3-for-4, HR, 2B, 5 runs, 3 RBI) and left fielder Adam Whitacre (3-for-5, HR, 3B) all added three hits in the game.
 
Right-hander Bruce Hudson (2-1) was awarded the victory as he pitched four spectacular innings out of the bullpen. Hudson, who faced just 12 batters, did not yield a hit or a walk and fanned three batters.
 
The Highlanders, who recorded a season-high 21 hits in the contest, scored two runs in the bottom of the first to get on the board first. Radford executed a double-steal as Horwitz raced home with the first run.  Designated hitter J.D. Mundy scored the second run as he scored on a hit by Whitacre and a throwing error.
 
Winthrop responded with three runs off starter Derek Domecq (2.2 innings, 8 hits, 5 earned runs) in the top of the second as left fielder Matthew Mulkey (3-for-5, 4 RBI) hit a three-run homer.
 
Radford got even in the second as Szamski drilled his first extra-base hit of the day, a booming double to center field that scored shortstop Colby Higgerson, who was hit by a pitch.
 
The Eagles took their final lead of the afternoon as they scored a pair of runs on three hits off Domecq in the top of the third. 
 
The hosts went ahead for good as they hung six runs on the board in their half of the third on six hits and an error.  Butler recorded an RBI single and Szamski cleared the bases with his second straight double to left field, highlighting the frame.
 
Winthrop got one run back in the fourth to close within 9-6, however, Radford responded with three runs in the bottom of the fifth to grab a 12-6 advantage.  Horwitz (RBI 2B) and Szamski (2-run homer) delivered back-to-back extra-base hits to account for the scoring.
 
Horwitz and Szamski also drilled consecutive homers in the bottom of the seventh to make it 14-6.
 
Winthrop made things interesting as they scored five runs on four hits in the top of the eighth inning off relievers Brandon Donovan (4 earned runs) and Graham Firoved (1 earned run), However, right-hander Austin Gerber came in with the bases loaded and fanned first baseman Grant English to escape further damage.
 
The Highlanders exploded for six runs on five hits in the bottom of the eighth to put the game out of reach.  Whitacre hit a lead-off homer (6) after Eagles' manager Tom Riginos was ejected for arguing with the home plate umpire. The Highlanders then scored five runs with two men out in the frame.  Butler (2-run single), Szamski (RBI single), Mundy (2-run triple) produced the big hits.
 
Righty Brandon Feathers pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to close the door in Winthrop's final at bat.
 
Winthrop (14-12, 6-2) starter Nate Pawelczyk (5-2) allowed seven earned runs and 12 hits in just 2.1 innings and took the loss.
 
The two squads will conclude their series on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
 
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