RADFORD, Va. – A critical mistake cost Longwood in the series finale on Saturday as Radford walked off Longwood 5-4 on an error, the second time in six days Longwood lost on a walkoff play. The Highlanders loaded the bases with two outs and scored a pair of runs on an error at third to sweep Longwood after taking game one 11-6.
 
The two teams piled up seven runs in the final three innings of game two as both offenses delivered clutch plays. Longwood clung to a 4-3 lead with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but Radford loaded the bases with two singles and a walk. Straton Podaras hit a grounder to third, and Nate Blakeney's throw to first went wide as two runners came home on the play.
 
"This one's a really hard one to swallow," said Longwood head coach Ryan Mau. "We didn't make a couple plays that we needed to make, and you have to credit Radford, down to their last out, finding a way to win. I liked the way we fought back, but we have to find a way to finish games."
 
Antwaun Tucker hit a massive three-run home run in game two, and Jacob Mitchell swatted solo home runs in each game while going 4-7 at the plate in the doubleheader. The junior added a double while scoring three runs and driving in two.
 
The Lancers wrap up their nine-game road trip on Tuesday at Norfolk State. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
 
Game one: Radford 11, Longwood 6
 
Radford came up with timely hits with two outs to take an early lead against Longwood on Saturday morning. The Highlanders went 6-10 to score five of their six runs with two outs, and the Big South leader in home runs did it by nickeling and diming Longwood all game with 10 singles in 15 hits.
 
Radford took a 1-0 lead on a bases loaded walk that capped a two-out rally in the bottom of the second before taking advantage of a pair of Longwood errors in the fourth. With one on, Kyle Butler bunted for a single, and the throw to first went into right field to score the lead runner. With two outs, Andrew Szamski rolled a ground ball to third, but the throw to first was high and wide. Two straight singles plated three runs to put Radford up 5-0, with all the runs counting as unearned runs.
 
Jacob Mitchell answered for the Lancers in the top of the fifth. The junior swatted a leadoff solo home run out to right-center and cut the lead to 5-1. He has a team-best six home runs this season and went 2-3 in the game with a double.
 
Radford responded with another two out rally. A double and a Butler single plated one to re-establish the five run lead, 6-1, and the Highlanders boosted the lead to 11-1 with a big seventh inning.
 
The Lancers rallied in the ninth and loaded the bases with nobody out. Eric Crain singled in a run before Grant Keller cleared the bases with a three-run double to right-center field that cut the lead to 11-5. Nate Blakeney singled Keller home for the final tally.
 
Andrew Nardi (3-1) earned the win after pitching five innings and only giving up one run while walking one and striking out five against four hits.
 
Tyler Morgan (2-6) struggled with his command in the start and walked four in 3.2 innings, but the junior still struck out six. Only one of the five runs he allowed was earned on six hits.
 
Game two: Radford 5, Longwood 4
 
With Longwood down 2-0 through six innings, Mitchell put the Lancers on the board with one swing in the seventh inning. The junior crushed a monstrous home run to left field, his team-leading seventh home run of the season.
 
After John Gregory threw a scoreless relief inning in the bottom of the seventh, the Lancer offense came alive again with one out in the eighth. Grant Keller walked, and Carlos Garrido singled before Tucker launched his third home run of the season over the right field wall.
 
"I thought Jacob Mitchell's swing kind of woke us up," said Mau. "And obviously Tucker was able to deliver a big blow off their closer an inning later."
 
Radford grabbed a run back in the bottom of the inning. The team executed a double steal with runners at first and third and two outs, and the throw home was not quite in time as Longwood's lead was trimmed to 4-3. Radford had a chance to tie the game with a single up the middle by Colby Higgerson, but Cullan Wadsworth fired a strike straight to home plate from center field to eliminate the runner and preserve the one-run lead.
 
That set the stage for the bottom of the ninth. After Gregory struck out one and forced a second to fly out, two straight singles put runners at first and third. A walk loaded the bases before the error at third allowed two runs to score.
 
The late-game drama overshadowed a strong start by Longwood freshman Andrew Melnyk. Melnyk tied a career high with seven strikeouts while throwing five strong innings. He surrendered two runs on four hits while walking two.
 
"Andrew was really good today for us," said Mau. "He gave us an excellent start and really commanded his fastball and his changeup, and he gave us a great opportunity to win."
 
Gregory (2-3) took the loss after giving up three runs, one earned, in three innings of work. He gave up three hits and three walks and striking out one.
 
Cameron Fritz (4-1) earned the win despite giving up the three-run home run to Tucker. He pitched the final two innings and struck out two while walking one and surrendering two hits.
 
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