Bulldogs stunned on Sunday by Radford

RADFORD, Va. – Radford University scored five times in the ninth to tie the game and a hit batter with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th gave the Highlanders an 8-7 victory over the Bryant University baseball team on Sunday afternoon at the RU Baseball Field.

The victory is the second extra-inning victory for the Highlanders (9-7) in the series. For the Bulldogs (3-6), it is the second time in two weeks they have blown a five-run lead in the ninth.

With Bryant holding a 7-2 lead in the ninth, three-straight walks loaded the bases with no outs for Radford. Freshman Jack Patterson (Suffield, Conn.) was summoned and was able to get the Black and Gold out of the jam. After hitting the first batter to force in a run, Patterson fielded a comebacker to start a crucial 1-2-3 double play to record the first two outs of the frame. An Aaron Scoville infield single plated a second run before back-to-back walks forced in a run to make it 7-5. Junior Alex Lagos (Wrentham, Mass.) issued a bases-loaded walk to make it 7-6 before Zach Woolcock tied the game with a sharp single off the leg of freshman reliever Brandon Bingel (Peabody, Mass.). A weak comebacker ended the inning but the damage had already been done.

Radford pushed across the winning run in the 11th with more help from the Black and Gold. A hit batter started the inning, an intentional walk and a hit batter loaded the bases and a hit batter forced in the winning run. Bryant pitching walked 12 and hit four others on the afternoon.

Bryant wasted little time getting on the board Sunday, scoring a pair of runs in the first thanks to a two-out rally. Sophomore Buck McCarthy (Saugus, Mass.) walked and classmate Robby Rinn (Warwick, R.I.) was hit by a pitch to start the rally and junior Daniel St. George (Shelton, Conn.) followed with an RBI single to right center to make it 1-0. The Bulldogs then ran a perfect double steal to grab a 2-0 lead as Rinn taking off from third as the Highlanders threw down to second to try and get St. George.

Radford battled back to tie the game without the benefit of a hit in the third inning. Three walks loaded the bases with no outs and Patrick Marshall plated the first Highlander run with a sac fly to center. After a wild pitch moves a runner to third, Nygeal Andrews tied the game with a sac fly to right field.

The Bulldogs were finally able to break the deadlock with two runs in the fifth. Junior Matt Zanotta (Schenectady, N.Y.) worked a leadoff walk and freshman pinch-runner Joseph Paparelli (Preston, Conn.) promptly stole his first-career base to put a runner in scoring position. A fielding error and a hit batter loaded the bases with no outs and Bingel broke the tie with a sac fly to right. Junior Carl Anderson (Sudbury, Mass.) followed with a sac fly of his own to make it 4-2.

Bryant then tacked on two more runs in the sixth and a single run in the seventh. In the sixth, freshman Zane Smith (Ilion, N.Y.) reached on a dropped third strike, sophomore Dan Cellucci (Sudbury, Mass.) walked and junior John Mullen (Walpole, Mass.) plated both as he smashed a double over the left fielder's head. In the seventh, Anderson doubled down the left field line and advanced to third as the throw sailed wide at second to start the inning. Rinn plated him with a two-out single up the middle to make it 7-2.

The Highlanders had a chance for a big inning in the first but were stymied by the play of freshman Matt Albanese (East Haddam, Conn.) in right. Three singles loaded the bases for Radford and Hunter Higgerson laced a 3-2 pitch into right-center field but Albanese raced over and made a sliding catch, robbing the Highlanders of three runs. Albanese would add a leaping catch in right and a shoestring grab of a foul ball to his outstanding defensive afternoon.

Making his second-career start, sophomore Kyle Wilcox (Sandy Hook, Conn.) worked four erratic innings. He allowed two runs on just three hits but walked five and struck out four. Senior Jonathan Cohen (Norwalk, Conn.) entered in the fifth and put together a solid outing. The crafty lefty worked a career-high four innings, allowing two runs on two hits. He walked three and struck out two.

Mullen picked three hits, his first multi-hit game of the season, and drove in two runs to lead the way offensively. Cellucci scored a pair of runs and extended his hitting streak to nine games. He now leads the team with 11 runs scored on the season.

Bryant will have Monday off before facing North Carolina A&T in a mini two-game series on Tuesday and Wednesday in Greensboro, N.C. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. each night.