Baseball 4/24/2026 8:52:00 PM

Baseball Rallies, Falls in Ninth in Friday Opener at Presbyterian

BOX SCORE CLINTON, S.C. – The Radford baseball program rallied back late to tie but ultimately fell in the bottom of the ninth in Friday's series opener at Presbyterian in a 6-5 final.

Raymond Ladd started well in Friday's game, picking up his 100th career strikeout while retiring three straight in the first. The Blue Hose struck for four runs in the second, though, behind a pair of doubles and a three-run homer that drove in three unearned runs off an error.

After plating one more in the third off a solo shot, Ladd settled in and was excellent through the fifth. That set up the Highlanders offense to strike back, and the comeback attempt kicked off in the top of the fifth.

After Devin Parks doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly, Alex Levesque tagged on another run with a solo homer that made it just a 5-2 deficit going into the sixth. Radford's offense kept clawing all the way back in the sixth and it began behind a single from Hunter Keen and double by Eli Hudgins.

Breckin Nace drew a hit by pitch to load the bases and Devin Parks would bring home two with a single through the left side. After a Presbyterian pitching change, Radford was able to tie the game thanks to a sacrifice fly from Levesque at 5-5.

Corey Costello would enter in relief in the sixth and kept trouble off the basepaths. He would retire three straight and then in the seventh work around a walk that started the inning to keep the game tied. In the eighth, Costello capped his three innings of scoreless work with a strikeout.

Offensively, Radford had its best chance to break the tie in the top of the ninth. Brooks Simpson singled to begin the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. An unfortunate liner turned into a double play, though, wiping the threat and keeping the game tied. Presbyterian began their half of the ninth with a double, and scored the winning run off a sacrifice fly for the 6-5 finish.

UP NEXT
Radford and Presbyterian meet for game two of their weekend series against each other tomorrow afternoon. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.

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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

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

#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

#35 Brooks Simpson: UTL; 5' 10"; Freshman; R/R

#44 Corey Costello: LHP; 6' 1"; Junior; L/L

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

#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

#35 Brooks Simpson
: 5' 10"; Freshman; R/R
: UTL

#44 Corey Costello
: 6' 1"; Junior; L/L
: LHP

Radford University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned