CULLOWHEE, N.C. — The Radford baseball team was unable to hold on to a pair of late leads, dropping contests by a final of 9-8 and 4-3 in their doubleheader at Western Carolina on Saturday afternoon at Hennon Stadium.
GAME ONE
Radford got the scoring started in the fourth inning. With his team trailing 1-0, shortstop
Tristan Shoemaker launched a solo homer to right field to tie the game, his first home run as a Highlander.
From there, the visitors took control, scoring three runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. Highlighting the offensive barrage was a two-run home run from first baseman
Tanner Barrs, as well as a solo shot from right fielder
Paul Moore that put Radford ahead 6-1. The three home runs as a team were the most by Radford in a single game this season.
However, Western Carolina would respond in the late innings, as the Catamounts scored a pair in the sixth and seventh innings, while using a four-run ninth to walk it off for a 9-8 final.
Second baseman
Sully Tibbs went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run in the losing effort. Third baseman
Miles LeVere had a pair of hits and scored two runs. In total, eight Highlanders recorded at least one hit.
GAME TWO
The second game was much more of a pitcher's duel, as the two teams held each other in check offensively. Radford (7-12) got a serviceable start from righty
Clay Clatterbaugh, who went three innings and allowed only one earned run. LHP
Carter Seabrooke followed up with three scoreless outings, striking out a trio of Catamount hitters.
The Highlanders got on the board in the fourth inning, when DH
Julian Rojas laced a double to left field that plated Shoemaker, tying the game at 1-all. In the ensuing at-bat, first baseman
Ryan Gilmore rolled over an RBI groundout to shortstop that drove in
Garrett Pancione, giving Radford a lead.
That lead would hold for the next four innings, but Western Carolina (8-11) again struck late, scoring three runs in the eighth inning to go ahead 4-2. Gilmore would halve the deficit in the top of the ninth with a solo home run in the ninth, but it was not enough.
Rojas went 2-for-4 on the day. As a team, the Highlanders were held to just six hits.
UP NEXT
Radford will look to salvage a game from the series as they resume action Sunday at 1 p.m.
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