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Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
Devin Parks
Matthew Maldonado
7
Radford RAD 8-9
9
Winner Winthrop WINT 14-6
Radford RAD
8-9
7
Final
9
Winthrop WINT
14-6
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Radford RAD 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 7 12 0
Winthrop WINT 3 0 2 0 2 0 0 2 X 9 12 0

W: McNeely, Colby (3-0) L: Quintana, Daniel (3-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Parks Goes Yard, Highlanders Swept by Winthrop

ROCK HILL, S.C. – The Radford baseball team got off to a hot start on Sunday but still fell short of a win, falling to Winthrop 9-7 at Founders Field to cap off a disappointing beginning to Big South play. The Highlanders drop a game under .500 and are 0-3 in conference play after being swept by the Eagles.

The Highlanders put up a crooked number in the top of the first. With two on and two out, Devin Parks smashed his second home run of the season to put Radford up three. A pair of Highlanders reached following the blast to right, and Mason Self turned an 0-2 pitch around to single home Junho Son to make it 4-0 before the first was over. The Eagles answered right back, smashing a two-run blast off Andrew Steinhaus and adding another multi-base RBI hit to make it 4-3 after one.

In the second, Noah Toole, Eli Hudgins, and Breckin Nace all reached to load the bases for Parks. The Highlanders' speedster grounded out to second but managed to plate Toole from third to put Radford ahead my two. Steinhaus faced the minimum in the second to rebound, and Carrington Aaron added a sacrifice fly in the top of the third to make it 6-3 Radford after two and a half.

That's when things went began to go downhill for Radford. A two-run single tied things for Winthrop in the bottom of the third, forcing Steinhaus out of the game. Radford's starter exited after that, going only two and two-third innings while allowing five earned runs. Matthew Lefevers entered and got the final out to keep the Highlanders ahead, 6-5.

The Highlanders had a great chance to add some insurance runs in the fourth, as both Hudgins and Nace singled to put two on with nobody out. However, a strikeout and double play ended the Radford threat in the fourth. Winthrop took the lead in the fifth, as the Eagles strung together three-straight hits with two outs to score a pair and make it 7-6.

Toole and the Highlanders fought back in the eighth, managing to tie things up. The sophomore walked on four pitches, then stole second base with two outs. Nace came through with another big knock, singling into right field to plate Toole and tie it at 7-7. Parks, the next Radford batter, failed to come up with what would've been his second big hit of the day, fouling out to end the inning.

After two scoreless innings, Daniel Quintana got into trouble in the bottom of the eighth, allowing a double and single to put two in scoring position with nobody out. Mason Hatcher tried to get out of the jam but allowed a run-scoring single that put Winthrop ahead 8-7. Hatcher later tried to make a tough play on a slow roller and get an out at home while fielding the ball but slipped on the wet infield grass, having to get the out at first and allow another Winthrop run to make it 9-7. A double play ended the game in the ninth, giving Winthrop their only nine-inning win of the series.

Parks hit in four Highlanders in the loss out of the fifth spot in the lineup with his home run being his only hit of the day. Toole scored three of Radford's seven runs, adding a single, double, and two walks to reach base four times total. Quintana took the loss, being charged with a pair of runs (both earned) in his first loss of the season. The defenses for both teams played well despite the wet weather late, as neither team was charged with any errors.

UP NEXT
The Highlanders look to put the tough start to conference play behind them, with two mid-week contests coming up this Tuesday and Wednesday. Radford goes to Greensboro, N.C., to face North Carolina A&T on Tuesday, March 17. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. and will be streamed on FloSports.
 
STAY SOCIAL WITH RADFORD BASEBALL
For all the latest on Radford Baseball, be sure to follow the team on X (@RadfordBaseball), Instagram (@radfordbaseball), and "like" the team's official Facebook Page (Radford Baseball).
 
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