RADFORD, Va. – The Radford baseball program has accomplished something it has not done in six years. The Highlanders are headed to the Big South Tournament for the first time since 2019 after a 16-9 victory over Winthrop in a conference clash inside Sherman Carter Memorial Stadium on Saturday night.
The win not only secured a post season berth, but the red-hot Radford squad now finds itself ranked third overall in the Big South standings. With four conference games left on the regular season docket, the Highlanders are still mathematically alive for first to go with being just ahead of fourth and fifth-place teams Charleston Southern (12-9 in Big South play) and Winthrop (11-9) in a crowded race to the finish.
UNC Asheville (8-13) and Presbyterian (9-15) are fighting for the final spot in the six-team tournament, but UNC Asheville can win no more than 11 conference games, securing Radford's place in the post season.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Radford – 16, Winthrop – 9
LOCATION: Sherman Carter Memorial Stadium (Radford, Virginia)
RECORDS: Radford 2
6-23 (12-8 Big South), Winthrop 27-24 (11-9)
THE BREAKDOWN
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James Ward is officially on a chase with history. He posted yet another standout night with a 3-for-6 performance that included two homers, five RBI and two runs scored. The Queensbury, New York native is now up to 54 runs batted in and 11 home runs, marks that are currently ranked sixth and tied for ninth in a single campaign in school history. He is just five RBI from tying for first and six runs batted in from taking over the top spot all for himself. With five games left in the year, plus post season, Ward has the chance to put his name in the top 10 of multiple statistical categories.
- Not to be overshadowed,
Mason Self,
Hunter Keen and
Jhonkeanu Perez all posted big evenings.
- Self went 2-for-4 with one dinger, one double, four RBI, two runs scored and a walked.
- Keen finished a home run short of the cycle off a 3-for-5 effort. He hit a single, a double and a triple to go with three RBI and one run scored.
- Perez was a terror out of the leadoff spot with a 3-for-5 performance. His night featured a double, three runs batted in, a stolen base and a run.
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Breckin Nace chipped in a 2-for-5 evening that included, a two-bagger, three runs scored, a RBI, a walk and a steal.
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Tyler Sparrer (2-for-4, two runs scored, one swiped bag, one walk),
Tyler Kehoe (3-for-4, one double, three runs scored, one base on balls) and
Noah Toole (2-for-4, two runs, one walk) also added to the offensive outburst.
- The 20 hits by the Highlanders tied for the eighth most recorded by a Big South team so far this season. It also set a season high for the program.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Ward got the Highlanders on the board in their first at-bats of the game as he drove a single to left field that brought around Nace to give Radford an early 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first.
- Winthrop responded right back with a run of its own in the top of the second to knot things up at 1-1.
- The Highlanders were down for the fight however as the squad dropped two more runs in the bottom of the second to retake a 3-1 lead. Radford started off the frame with three straight singles before Perez blasted a RBI single through the left side, followed by a sacrifice fly by Keen that scored Sparrer in another big inning for the home squad.
- Back and forth the two sides went as the Eagles pushed across another run in the top of the fourth to make it a 3-2 game.
- Winthrop would take its first lead of the contest after a four-spot in the top of the fifth to take a 6-3 advantage.
- It wouldn't take long for Radford to respond with four runs of its own in the bottom half of the frame to jump back ahead 7-6. A two-run shot by Ward over the left-center fence was followed by a two-RBI double down the left field line by Self to give the Highlanders control of the contest once again.
- Radford started to pull away with three runs in both the six and seventh innings.
- Nace (RBI single) and Ward (two-run homer) teamed up in the sixth while Perez (two-RBI double) and Keen (RBI single) did the damage in the seventh.
- The Eagles got a two-run homer in the top of the eight to make it a five-run game at 13-8.
- Radford added three more insurance runs in the eighth to pull back ahead 16-8. Self sent a towering two-run shot over the left center fence which was followed by a Keen RBI double as the Highlanders looked to close things out.
- Winthrop would scape a run across in the top of the ninth, but by then the damage was more than already done to seal the Radford victory.
NEXT UP
Radford will celebrate its graduating class with a special Senior Day celebration to conclude the three-game series against Winthrop on Sunday, May 11. Fans and supporters will want to make sure they get to their seats early as festivities get underway at 1 PM ET inside Sherman Carter Memorial Stadium. Admission to the conference clash is free of charge and first pitch will follow at 2 PM. The game will also be
played in front of a national audience on ESPN+.
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