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Radford University Athletics

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higgerson
Radford Athletics Communications
3
Winner Radford RAD 2-0
2
NC Central NCCU 0-2
Winner
Radford RAD
2-0
3
Final
2
NC Central NCCU
0-2
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Radford RAD 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 3 3 0
NC Central NCCU 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 10 2

W: Feathers, Brandon (1-0) L: BELL,B. (0-1) S: Hudson, Bruce (1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

RADFORD RALLIES TO BEAT N.C. CENTRAL, CLINCH OPENING WEEKEND SERIES

DURHAM, N.C. – Derek Domecq, Brandon Feathers and Bruce Hudson combined to throw six scoreless innings out of the bullpen and Colby Higgerson hit an RBI single in the ninth inning, as Radford edged out North Carolina Central on Saturday afternoon, 3-2, at Durham Athletic Park.
 
Higgerson's base hit completed a Highlander comeback after trailing 2-0 early in the game. Radford scored once in the third and once in the sixth before the go-ahead run in the ninth.
 
Ryan Sande made his first start of the season and struck out the side in the first inning before a two-run triple in the second gave the Eagles the early lead. Sande recovered to get out of that inning and worked a scoreless third before giving way to the Highlander bullpen in the fourth inning.
 
The Highlanders cut NCCU's lead in half in the third, as Jimmy Goldsmith worked a leadoff walk and advanced to third after a sacrifice bunt by Sean Cheely and a stolen base. Garrett Matheny drove in Goldsmith with an RBI single up the middle.
 
NCCU had a golden opportunity for a big inning after loading the bases with no outs in the fourth, but Domecq got a strikeout and a double play to end the jam and keep the Eagles off the board. The Eagles had runners on first and second with one out in the fifth, but Anthony Galati made a diving catch in right field and doubled off the runner on second to keep it a one-run game.
 
Radford quickly tied it up in the sixth, as Matheny was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and scored from first when Will Harless laced a double down the left-field line, tying the game with the Highlanders' lone extra-base hit of the contest.
 
Feathers entered the game in the sixth inning and threw three shutout innings, allowing just two singles across the three frames. The Highlanders took advantage of the strong bullpen work in the final frame, as Cheely reached on a dropped fly ball by the left fielder and scored on Higgerson's RBI single, which increased the latter's on-base streak to 23 games.
 
Hudson closed the door in the bottom half of the inning, working around a leadoff single to pick up his first save of the year.
 
STATS OF THE GAME
Radford's bullpen has now gone 8 1/3 innings this season without allowing a run. Higgerson and J.D. Mundy each had their on-base streaks extended to 23 games. Harless has now reached base seven times in his first 10 plate appearances this season. Each of Radford's three pitchers who went multiple innings had two or more strikeouts.
 
TWEETS OF THE GAME  
 
QUOTABLE
"Today was the exact opposite of yesterday's ballgame and that is what is great and unique about college baseball," head coach Karl Kuhn said. "We were fortunate to come out on top and had some great individual efforts that allowed us to do so. Our coaches did a tremendous job of managing the game and putting our team in a position to be there at the end, but our players are the ones that won the game. They rose up late and found a way to get it done late, and that is a tremendous attribute of winning teams and programs. This win is all about the players and individual efforts which add up to a collective W for the day. Very proud of the resiliency of our team."

UP NEXT
The Highlanders and Eagles meet for the series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m. Junior Ryan Bywaters is scheduled to start for Radford, who will look to complete the series sweep.
 
FOLLOW HIGHLANDER BASEBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on the Radford baseball team visit RadfordAthletics.com, follow @RadfordBaseball on Twitter, 'radfordbaseball' Instagram or Radford Baseball on Facebook.
 
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