Baseball Rallies, Uses Big Fifth Inning to Nab Series Opener from Gardner-Webb

BOX SCORE RADFORD, Va. – After falling behind 3-0 early, the Radford baseball program rallied back behind a four-run fifth inning Friday night to earn an 8-4 victory over Gardner-Webb in the weekend opener.

While Gardner-Webb would strike for three runs off five hits in the top of the first, starting pitcher Raymond Ladd was elite the rest of the way allowing no runs over the next six innings to set up for the comeback victory. Ladd would settle in during the second inning tossing a 1-2-3 frame and worked around a two-out double in the third to keep it a 3-0 game.

In the bottom of the third, Brady Powell singled and swiped second to get the offense rolling. Alex Levesque singled to put runners on the corners and Brooks Simpson picked up the RBI on a fielder's choice. With runners still on the corners, Junho Son pulled Radford within one with a sacrifice fly.

Down 3-2, Ladd kept shoving and struck out the side in the fourth picking up another strikeout in the fifth as well. That set up the Highlanders offense to break open the flood gates in the bottom half of the frame for a big lead.

Son, Hunter Keen, Eli Hudgins and Breckin Nace all singled to start the inning as Nace picked up the RBI at the end of the hit train to tie the game. A sacrifice fly by Devin Parks gave Radford the lead and a sacrifice bunt from Noah Toole brought in another. Powell would single home one more as Radford had officially flipped the score to their advantage with a 6-3 lead.

Ladd tossed another scoreless frame and, in the bottom of the sixth, Radford plated an insurance run. Simpson and Son both singled while Hudgins scratched across another run with a fielder's choice. Ahead 7-3, Ladd capped his impressive bounce back outing with another easy inning in the seventh to finish with seven innings of three-run work on seven strikeouts.

Trey Ludy entered in the eighth and retired three straight to keep up the pace. Son would stay hot with a triple in the bottom of the eighth as Keen brought him home with another productive out on a sacrifice fly. Gardner-Webb would strike for one more run with a solo shot in the ninth, but Ludy quickly silenced the bats with three straight outs to seal the 8-4 win. Radford is now 8-1 this season in series openers.

UP NEXT
Radford and Gardner-Webb continue their weekend series tomorrow with a 4 p.m. first pitch at Sherman Carter Memorial Stadium.

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Players Mentioned

#16 Eli Hudgins: INF; 5' 11"; Sophomore; R/R

#40 Raymond Ladd: RHP; 6' 6"; Redshirt Sophomore; R/R

#20 Trey Ludy: RHP; 6' 1"; Junior; R/R

#33 Breckin Nace: LHP/1B; 6' 4"; Junior; L/L

#1 Brady Powell: MIF; 5' 8"; Redshirt Junior; R/R

#3 Noah Toole: MIF; 6' 0"; Sophomore; S/R

#7 Junho Son: UTL; 5' 8"; Junior; L/R

#13 Hunter Keen: INF; 6' 0"; Graduate Student; R/R

#5 Devin Parks: OF; 6' 0"; Junior; R/R

#25 Alex Levesque: C; 6' 0"; Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

#16 Eli Hudgins
: 5' 11"; Sophomore; R/R
: INF

#40 Raymond Ladd
: 6' 6"; Redshirt Sophomore; R/R
: RHP

#20 Trey Ludy
: 6' 1"; Junior; R/R
: RHP

#33 Breckin Nace
: 6' 4"; Junior; L/L
: LHP/1B

#1 Brady Powell
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Junior; R/R
: MIF

#3 Noah Toole
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; S/R
: MIF

#7 Junho Son
: 5' 8"; Junior; L/R
: UTL

#13 Hunter Keen
: 6' 0"; Graduate Student; R/R
: INF

#5 Devin Parks
: 6' 0"; Junior; R/R
: OF

#25 Alex Levesque
: 6' 0"; Junior; R/R
: C

Radford University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned