JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Just a night after beating the No. 25 team in the country, the Radford baseball program kept it rolling and followed it up with another big road win, this time at East Tennessee State by a score of 10-8 in a non-conference mid-week battle at Thomas Stadium on Wednesday night.
To make the win even more impressive for the Highlanders, ETSU entered tonight ranked No. 32 in the nation in RPI. It was also the first victory in Johnson City for Radford since the 2014 campaign.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Radford - 10, ETSU – 8
LOCATION: Thomas Stadium (Johnson City, Tennessee)
RECORDS: Radford 14-14 (3-3 Big South), ETSU 21-7 (2-1 SOCON)
THE BREAKDOWN
- In a repeat trend,
Hunter Keen continues to pace the Highlander attack with another 2-for-4 showing at the dish. His night included a season-best four RBI and a run scored.
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Eli Hudgins showed once again why he is a rising star in the conference with a 2-for-5 effort that featured two runs batted in, a double, a run scored and a stolen base.
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Tyler Kehoe helped round out the offense with two more RBI for the Highlanders off a 2-for-5 performance. He also added a run scored in the win.
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James Ward was near perfect at the plate with another strong outing. His finished the night 3-for-4 with two runs and a walk.
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Zach Paczewski (2-for-5, one double, one run) made it five Highlanders with multi-hit efforts in his second start of the year.
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Kyle Crisp (1-for-4, one run) and
Breckin Nace (one run) both came around to score.
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Jhonkeanu Perez (1-for-4) also added a hit.
- Seven Radford student-athletes posted at least one base knock in the game.
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Jaxon Kehoe was an absolute star in his first appearance of the season and of his career. The freshman hurler posted four scoreless innings of work. He allowed just three hits to go against two strikeouts.
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Will Rice also fired a scoreless frame that included a punch out out of the pen.
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Joshua Milleville recorded his first save of the season as he came into a two-run game in the bottom of the ninth and slammed the door to seal the victory. He posted two straight strikeouts before his final batter hit a weak pop up to end it.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- It didn't take long for the Radford offense to get cooking in this one.
- The Highlanders went and dropped eight runs in the top of the second to jump out to a commanding 8-0 lead.
-Kehoe (single through the ride side, two RBI), Keen (single to right center, two RBI) and Hudgins (single to left, two RBI) all posted big performances in the frame.
- ETSU started to battle back with four runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning to make it an 8-4 game.
- Radford wasn't having any of that as the Highlanders answered right back with two runs in the top of the third to extend their advantage to 10-4. Keen did the damage once again with a two RBI single to left that scored Paczewski and Self.
- After the early fireworks, the game turned into a pitcher's duel down the stretch as neither team scored over the next five innings.
- The Buccaneers were able to scrape across a run in the bottom of the eighth to make it a five-run contest at 10-5.
- ETSU made it a ball game once again with two runs in the bottom of the ninth, but Milleville and the Radford defense slammed the door to collect its second straight big win.
ROLL THE HIGHLIGHTS
NEXT UP
The Highlanders return to Radford for a Big South showdown against Charleston Southern on Friday, April 4. First pitch is set for 6 PM ET from Sherman Carter Memorial Stadium and admission is free of charge. The contest will also be
played in front of a national audience on ESPN+.
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