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Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
team
6
Wake Forest WF 29-23
8
Winner Radford RAD 27-24
Wake Forest WF
29-23
6
Final
8
Radford RAD
27-24
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Wake Forest WF 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 0 6 11 1
Radford RAD 2 3 1 0 0 2 0 0 X 8 9 3

W: Williams, Hunter (2-3) L: Shane Muntz (0-2) S: Firoved, Graham (1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

HIGHLANDERS TOP WAKE FOREST TUESDAY NIGHT FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN


 
RADFORD, Va. – The Radford baseball team pounced for six runs in the first three innings and fought off a furious comeback effort to secure an 8-6 victory over Wake Forest in the final non-conference game of the 2019 season on Tuesday night.
 
With the wind swirling every which way in Carter Memorial Stadium, Andrew Szamski blasted a two-run home run over the fence in right-center field to put the Highlanders ahead 2-0 in the first inning following a Kyle Butler hit-by-pitch and stolen base.
 
Then, thanks in part to some sloppy defense by the Demon Deacons, Radford added to its lead in the second inning. Matt Roth crossed home plate on a throwing error as Colby Higgerson's sacrifice bunt proved very effective, Clayton Baine scored on a sacrifice fly by Spencer Horwitz, and Szamski capped the inning with an RBI double to make it 5-0.
 
The lead grew to 6-0 in the third inning as the Highlanders continued to put together great at-bats. Adam Whitacre kicked off the frame with a single to center and Will Harless moved him up on a single of his own. Back-to-back sacrifice bunts moved Whitacre all the way around the diamond and home for another run.
 
Left-handed starting pitcher Hunter Williams gave Coach Raccuia and his staff exactly what they were looking for on the night, keeping Wake Forest off the board for 4.1 innings while conceding just four hits and a pair of walks. His effort gave the Highlanders the chance to push their lead all the way to 8-0 in the sixth inning.
 
Wake Forest finally broke through in the seventh inning however, touching up Radford pitching for four runs to cut the deficit in half. Two more runs in the eighth inning had fans a little nervous late, but Graham Firoved was called in from the bullpen and he quickly shut the Deacons down.
 
The freshman from Virginia Beach earned his first career save with 1.2 hitless innings, needing just 19 pitches to do it while striking out two.
 
Szamski finished a triple short of the cycle, going 3-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored. Whitacre joined him in the multi-hit club with a 2-for-4 outing as well. Kyle Butler and Spencer Horwitz set the table at the top of the lineup with a stolen base each.
 
PLAY OF THE GAME  
STAT OF THE GAME
Radford has now won four games in a row, making it the third time this season they've put together a winning streak of four games or more. They also won four straight between April 17 and April 23 and before that the Highlanders won eight in a row between March 19 and March 31.
 
UP NEXT
The Highlanders turn their attention to the High Point Panthers, who come to Carter Memorial Stadium this weekend for the final Big South series of the regular season. The three-game set begins Thursday, May 16th at 6 p.m. and is followed by games on Friday, May 17th at 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 17th a 2 p.m.
 
FOLLOW RADFORD BASEBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on the Radford baseball team follow @RadfordBaseball on Twitter and Instagram or Radford Baseball on Facebook.
 
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