Explosive eighth inning lifts Bucs to 16-7 win over Radford

Brad Woods has hit five homeruns this week

RADFORD, Va.—Charleston Southern exploded for nine runs in the top of the eighth inning to secure a 16-7 Big South Conference win over Radford Saturday afternoon at Dedmon Center Park.

Radford falls to 22-28 overall, 13-10 in Big South Conference play. The Buccaneers improve to 24-31 overall, 11-12 in Big South play. Despite the win, Charleston Southern is now locked into the sixth seed for next week’s Big South Tournament by virtue of UNC Asheville’s 10-3 victory over Winthrop Saturday.

The Bucs hit four home runs in the affair, including two in the eighth inning. Second baseman Marcos Arias opened the scoring with an RBI single that scored centerfielder Jay Reynolds. Third baseman David Perkins then hit a home run, scoring Arias. After shortstop Billy Dalton reached on an error, catcher Brad Woods hit his second homer of the game to add two more runs. First baseman Alan Bontya followed with a single to score right fielder Jordan Haar. Reynolds then laid down an RBI bunt single, scoring left fielder Brian Sole. Arias completed the scoring with an RBI single up the middle that scored Reynolds and Bontya.

Charleston Southern scored two runs in the first inning, plating Sole and Woods on a Bontya double to left field. RU responded with one run in the bottom of the second inning when shortstop Stuart Ritchie scored on an error. The Bucs took a 5-1 lead in the third. Sole doubled to score Woods. Bontya then homered to right, scoring Sole. The Highlanders cut the lead to three with a run off of a Ritchie triple that scored second baseman Alan Ashworth.

CSU pushed its lead to five runs in the top of the fourth when Dalton grounded out to third base, allowing Arias to score. Woods followed with a his first home run of the game. But Radford tallied three runs in the bottom of the fourth to close to within two. Centerfielder Jesse Ross reached on a fielder’s choice that scored catcher Dean Altavilla. Ross scored on a wild pitch and Ashworth, who reached on a single, scored on a double by left fielder Kellen Wohlford. RU tied the game in the fifth on a two-run shot by designated hitter John Vellines that scored third baseman Shaun House, who reached on a walk. The game remained scoreless until the CSU eighth.

Nino Fasulo (4-2) earned the win for the Bucs. He went five complete innings, allowing three hits and one run while striking out four. CSU starter Bobby Parnell went four innings, allowing six hits and six runs, three earned. He struck out seven batters. Bret Lieberman took the loss, allowing seven runs, six earned, on four hits in 1 1/3 innings of work. Starter Justin Morgan went six innings, giving up seven runs on 11 hits.

Vellines led RU with a 2-for-3 performance, including two RBI. Ritchie and Wohlford also had two hits apiece. Woods was 5-for-6 with three RBI to pace the Bucs.

Radford and Charleston Southern will close out the three-game series and their regular seasons tomorrow. First pitch is set for 1:00 pm.