Four-Run Rally Leads Radford Over Buccaneers

RADFORD, Va. – Two Buccaneers hit home runs, but Radford scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning en route to a 12-8 win over the CSU baseball team. Redshirt-freshman Nick Chinners and freshman Taylor Black each belted homers to help the Buccaneers build a six-run lead before the Highlanders stormed back with 10 runs over three innings. Radford won the weekend series three games to two, winning the opener and the finale.

Mark Beppler earned the win for Radford (15-10, 2-1 Big South), pitching 4.2 innings in relief. He is still undefeated this season, earning his third victory. Freshman Tyler Thornburg made the start for CSU (10-15, 1-2 Big South) and was given the loss, pushing his record to 2-2 on the mound.

The Buccaneers grabbed a quick lead in the top of the first inning, taking advantage of two wild pitches by the Highlanders. Junior Mark Perry led off with a single to center and advanced to third on the errant pitches. He was given time to score on a sacrifice fly by freshman Steve Antolik, putting CSU in front 1-0. Chinners extended the lead to 2-0 on a solo home run to left center in the top of the second inning, his first homer of the season.

In the top of third inning, the Buccaneers blew open their lead with four runs. Black led off with a double to left center and then Perry drew a walk to give the visitors two men on. An error by Radford on junior Kory Morian’s sacrifice bunt loaded the bases for CSU. After a pitching change helped the Highlanders get one out, freshman Derek Smith gave the Buccaneers a 4-0 lead with single up the middle that brought Black and Perry around to score. Chinners picked up his second RBI of the game with a fielder’s choice and scored later on an error by Radford to put CSU in front by six.

Radford responded with four runs, only one of which was earned after three Buccaneer errors, in the bottom half of the inning to cut the deficit to two runs. The Highlanders tied the game in the next inning, getting runs on a groundout and a sacrifice fly to make it 6-6.

The comeback went full circle in the bottom of the fifth inning when Radford scored four runs on four hits to go ahead 10-6. Three players had RBI singles and the Highlanders added a sacrifice fly to take the four-run advantage.

Black helped CSU reduce the margin by one run in the top of the sixth inning, hitting a shot over the wall in left center for his second home run of the season. The blast brought the Buccaneers within three, 10-7. A safety squeeze by junior Jake Cox in the top of the seventh gave freshman Tom Burkett time to score and made it 10-8 in favor of the Highlanders.

A two-run double by Radford’s Ben Toth in the bottom of the seventh pushed the home team’s advantage back to four runs and sealed the Highlanders second Big South win of the season.

CSU will take on the College of Charleston at Buccaneer Field on Tuesday with a scheduled start time of 2 p.m. The Buccaneers will then travel to Savannah State for a 2 p.m. contest on Wednesday before beginning a three-game series with High Point on Friday at 2 p.m.