RADFORD, Va. – Radford jumped out to an early eight-run lead on Thursday night behind five extra-base hits in the first three innings against Longwood. The Lancers, playing in their sixth straight road game, made noise late and rallied in the eighth inning, but Radford (18-19, 10-6 Big South) held on to win 10-6 to open the three game series.
The Highlanders lead the Big South in home runs, and a two-run home run by Matt Roth, his sixth homer of the season, jumpstarted Radford in the second inning. Radford's offense batted around and racked up six runs on seven hits in the inning to jump out to a 6-0 lead.
In the bottom of the third, Straton Podaras led off with a solo homer over the right field wall for his third home run this spring. Radford added one more on an infield single a few batters later to make it 8-0.
Longwood (9-28, 4-12 Big South) finally started to chip away in the fifth with a two-out rally.
Jack Schnell poked a single through the right side of the infield, and
Nate Blakeney roped his second double of the game to score Schnell from first. Blakeney tied a season high with three hits on the day.
De'Andre Pitts smoked an RBI single past third one batter later to cut the lead to 8-2.
"I thought offensively it took us too long to make adjustments, which is why we didn't get much going until the middle innings," said Longwood head coach
Ryan Mau. "I did like the fight in the offense today. We had a very poor start on the mound which was tough to overcome."
"It was good to see the bottom of our lineup produce for us. We are going to need more one through nine."
Hunter Gilliam rocketed a triple to deep right-center in the sixth inning, and he scored on an error at first a few batters later to help the Lancers trim the lead to 8-3. He went 2-4 on the day for his 13
th multi-hit game of the season.
Radford answered with a run apiece in the sixth and the seventh before Longwood rebounded in the eighth. With one out, Gilliam hit a single deep to the hole at short to put runners at first and second.
Carlos Garrido walloped an RBI double off the wall before
Eric Crain smashed a two-run double to left-center that cut the lead to 10-6, but Radford's bullpen used a lineout and a strikeout to escape the inning with no further damage.
Zack Ridgely (3-2) earned the win. He gave up four runs, three earned, on seven hits while tying a season high with six strikeouts against only one walk.
Alec Abdalah (0-3) took the loss for Longwood after giving up eight runs in 2.2 innings.
Carter Strickland relieved him in the third and threw 1.1 scoreless innings before giving way to
Bryan Golnick in the fifth inning. Golnick proceeded to give one of his best outings of the season and went the rest of the way. The freshman struck out three while walking three in his longest appearance of the season for the Lancers. He gave up two runs, one earned, on four hits in four innings.
"Golnick did a good job really mixing all his offspeed stuff and keeping Radford at bay," said Mau.
The two teams are scheduled to play at 6 p.m. on Friday night in game two.
#GoWood
