ASHEVILLE, N.C. – There is one thing about this Radford baseball team this year.
They never go down without a fight.
And fight is what they did as the Highlanders entered the top of the ninth down by four before going on a crazy, four-run rally to send the conference clash against UNC Asheville to extra innings.
The Bulldogs were able to end the good vibes however and walked it off in the bottom of the tenth as they escaped with the 6-5 victory inside Greenwood Baseball Field on Friday night.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Radford – 5, UNC Asheville – 6
LOCATION: Greenwood Baseball Field (Asheville, North Carolina)
RECORDS: Radford 21-21 (8-8), UNCA 14-25 (7-9)
THE BREAKDOWN
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James Ward continued to lead the charge with a 1-for-3 outing that included a game-best three RBI.
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Jhonkeanu Perez had a strong performance with a 3-for-4 evening at the dish that included a stolen base and a run scored.
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Tyler Sparrer made it two Highlanders with multi-hit games with a 2-for-4 showing. He also drove in a run batted in, his 19th RBI over his last 11 games played.
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Breckin Nace tied for the game-high in runs as he came around to score twice off a 1-for-4 night. He also drew a walk.
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Hunter Keen (1-for-5, one RBI) and
Mason Self (one base on balls) both scored a single time for the Highlanders, respectively.
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Noah Toole also added a base knock (a double) and a walk.
- The Radford defense turned three double plays in the contest.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- UNC Asheville got the scoring started right away with a three-run bottom of the first to jump out to a 3-0 lead.
- Radford started to battle back in the top of the fourth off a RBI single by Sparrer to right that brought around Nace to make it a 3-1 game.
- The Bulldogs got what they thought were insurance runs with one in the fifth and another in the eighth to enter the final frame up 5-1.
- The Highlanders roared all the way back in the top of the ninth. Keen got the scoring started with a RBI single to right center to score Self to get Radford back in it at 5-2.
- Ward then continued his storybook season as he cleared the bases with a bases-loaded, three-RBI triple to knot things up at 5-5.
- UNC Asheville tried to end it in the bottom of the ninth, but Kehoe threw out his second runner at the plate of the game to send the contest to extras.
- The Bulldogs escaped with the 6-5 win off a walk off double in the bottom of the tenth.
NEXT UP
Radford and UNC Asheville will get right back to it with game two of the series on Saturday, April 26. First pitch is set for 2 PM ET from Greenwood Field. The conference clash will also be
played in front of a national audience on ESPN+.
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