Baseball 4/3/2026 8:20:00 PM

Baseball Starts Strong, Lead Slips Away as USC Upstate Evens Series

BOX SCORE RADFORD, Va. – The Radford baseball program started strong in their Friday afternoon meeting with USC Upstate but ultimately fell short in the 13-9 final.

USC Upstate struck for the first run of the game with a two-out RBI single, but starting pitcher Raymond Ladd did a good job escaping anymore trouble with a flyout. In the bottom of the first, Radford's offense backed up their starter right away.

Hunter Keen singled and Eli Hudgins doubled immediately to tie the game back up at 1-1. With two outs in the frame, Brady Powell gave Radford the lead with a single that scored Hudgins. Noah Toole had the loudest hit of the inning as he homered to push the Highlanders up 4-1.

The Spartans used the long ball in the top of the second to pull back to down 4-3 and ultimately went ahead 5-4 off a wild pitch and sacrifice fly. The Highlanders evened the game quickly again in the second after Luke Sullivan walked, Brooks Simpson singled and Junho Son brought Sullivan home on a fielder's choice.

Tied 5-5, Daniel Quintana entered for a scoreless inning of work in the third. Radford was held similarly scoreless in the bottom half while the Spartans got back ahead off a solo homer in the fourth. The game broke open in the wrong way for Radford in the fifth as USC Upstate plated five to push their lead up to 11-5.

Radford got a run back in the bottom of the fifth behind a solo homer from Breckin Nace while a Hunter Keen double scored Simpson to pull Radford within four after six innings. The rally was able to start rolling thanks to relief efforts by Joshua Milleville who tossed scoreless sixth, seventh and eighth innings for Radford.

After USC Upstate plated two more in the ninth, the Highlanders had their last chance in the bottom half and would cross a few more runs. After Powell reached by an error and Toole walked, Tyler Sparrer doubled in Powell. Simpson would get an RBI groundout before the game went final 13-9 in the Spartans' favor.

UP NEXT
With the series all evened up, Radford will look to take the deciding match up tomorrow afternoon when they take on USC Upstate for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch 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

#22 Joshua Milleville: RHP; 5' 11"; Senior; R/R

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

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

#34 Tyler Sparrer: C; 6' 1"; Redshirt Sophomore; R/R

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

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

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

#21 Daniel Quintana: RHP; 6' 3"; Redshirt Junior; R/R

Players Mentioned

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

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

#22 Joshua Milleville
: 5' 11"; Senior; R/R
: RHP

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

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

#34 Tyler Sparrer
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Sophomore; R/R
: C

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

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

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

#21 Daniel Quintana
: 6' 3"; Redshirt Junior; R/R
: RHP

Radford University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned