BOX SCORE RADFORD, Va. – There isn't a more thrilling way to collect your fifth win in a row than the Radford baseball program posted on Friday night as
James Ward sent a three-run bomb over the left field fence in the bottom of the ninth to walk off the Highlanders with a 15-12 victory over Presbyterian to seal the three-game series on Friday evening.
The win improved Radford to 7-7 in Big South play as the squad holds steady in a tie for fourth overall in the conference. The Highlanders, with their now five-game winning streak, also hold the longest active winning streak out of all Big South programs.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Radford - 15, Presbyterian – 12
LOCATION: Sherman Carter Memorial Stadium (Radford, Virginia)
RECORDS: Radford 19-19 (7-7 Big South), PC 16-21 (8-6 Big South)
THE BREAKDOWN
- To go with playing the role of hero, Ward had an insane evening at the plate. He went 4-for-6 overall with a home run and a career-best five runs batted in. He also added a Radford career-high with four runs scored. The four runs tied for the third-most recorded by a Big South student-athlete so far this year. The five RBI also tied for the 11th best in a single game by a conference student-athlete.
- Not to be overshadowed,
Tyler Sparrer continued his red-hot tear with a perfect 4-for-4 outing. His night included four RBI, one run scored, a double and a walk. He is now batting 14-for-29 (.483) with two home runs and 18 runs batted in over his last eight games.
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Breckin Nace finished with a 3-for-5 performance that featured three runs scored and a base on balls.
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Hunter Keen made it four Highlanders with multi-hits efforts. He finished 2-for-5 with two runs and a walk.
- Both
Eli Hudgins (1-for-4, one run, one steal, one hit by pitch) and
Tyler Kehoe (1-for-5, one homer, one run scored) chipped in two runs batted in a piece, respectively.
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Jhonkeanu Perez did a little bit of everything as he added one RBI, one run scored, and a stolen base off a 1-for-5 night. He was also hit by a pitch.
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Mason Self went 1-for-4 with a dinger, one RBI and a run scored.
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Noah Toole rounded out the Highlander attack with a 1-for-5 showing with a run.
- All nine Radford batters entered in the order posted at least one base knock in the win. All nine student-athletes also came around to score at least a single time in the contest.
- The 18 hits by the Highlanders were also tied for the 11th most posted in a contest so far this year by a Big South squad.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- For the first time in five games, the opposition got on the board first as Presbyterian pushed a run across in the top of the first to take a 4-1 lead.
- It didn't take long for Radford to respond. The Highlanders dropped four runs in the bottom half of the frame to take a 4-1 edge.
- Both teams would get a run across in the third inning to make it a 5-2 game.
- The Blue Hose scored again a single time in the top of the fourth, but Radford answered right back once again with a four-spot in the bottom half of the frame to start to pull away at 9-3.
- The Highlanders got yet another run in the fifth to reach double-digits at 10-3.
- To their credit, the Presbyterian squad started to fight back with six runs in the top of the sixth to make it a ballgame once against at 10-9.
- As was the case all game, Radford had the answer with two more runs in the bottom half of the inning to push back ahead at 12-9.
- The Blue Hose then got one run in the seventh and two more in the ninth to knot things up at 12-12.
- It was then Ward's time to play hero as his three-run blast walked the Highlanders off with a thrilling 15-12 victory.
WALK IT OFF
NEXT UP
Radford and Presbyterian will conclude the series with a final game on Saturday, April 19. First pitch is set for 1 PM ET from Sherman Carter Memorial Stadium. Admission is free of charge and fans and supporters can also
follow along with the action in real-time here.
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