RADFORD, Va. – Five runs in the top of the ninth inning broke a 3-3 tie and propelled the High Point University baseball team to an 8-3 win over Radford on Sunday afternoon in Radford, Va. The win completes a sweep of the Highlanders for HPU.
“The players went out and made plays when they had to today,” head coach Craig Cozart
The Panthers opened the ninth with three-straight singles from sophomores Stephen Wytiaz
Two batters later sophomore Josh Spano
After Radford got back-to-back singles to lead off the bottom of the ninth, sophomore Joe Goodman
Senior Jared Avidon
Jeff Maxwell took the loss for the Highlanders after allowing three runs on four hits in 1-1/3 innings of work.
Medina finished the game 2-4 at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored. McDermott and senior Ryan Retz
High Point moves to 18-19 overall and 6-6 in the Big South with the win over the Highlanders. Radford falls to 10-14 overall and 7-5 in conference play.
HPU was the first team on the board for the third-straight game, scoring a run in the top of the first inning to go ahead 1-0. Medina hit a double down the left field line on the second pitch of the game and came around to score on an RBI single by Bujnovsky.
Radford responded with a run in each of the first three innings to jump ahead 3-1. Highlander shortstop Jeff Kemp drive in third RU run of the game with a solo home run to right, his conference-best 10th of the season.
The Panthers got a run back in the top of the fourth inning with three-straight singles, making the score 3-2. Sophomore Spencer Angelis
High Point tied the game at 3-3 in the following inning with an RBI single by Bujnovsky to score McDermott. The HPU second baseman singled to lead off the inning and stole second, giving the Panthers a runner in scoring position with no outs. After a Medina sacrifice bunt moved the runner to third, Bujnovsky drove him in with a line drive single to right-center.
The Panthers were forced to work out of a jam in the bottom of the seventh as Radford got a single by Chris Coia and a double by Blake Sipe to put runners at second and third with one out. Clapsaddle induced a pop-up to short and fly ball to right to end the Highlander threat.
After allowing a run in each of the first three innings, Clapsaddle did not allow a run in each of his final four innings of work. Clapsaddle pitched seven innings and allowed three runs on nine hits and a walk while striking out four.
The sweep by High Point was the Panthers’ second of the season and the first over a Big South opponent. HPU’s last sweep over a Big South opponent came against VMI last season.
“This was a huge weekend for us,” head coach Craig Cozart
High Point will return to Williard Stadium this week for midweek contests against Appalachian State and North Carolina Central. The Panthers will play Appalachian State on Tuesday, April 16, and NC Central on Wednesday, April 17.