Senior left-hander Andrew Nardi pitched five scoreless innings and junior designated hitter J.D. Mundy drove in four runs to help lead the Radford baseball team to an 8-3 victory against UMass Lowell, on Wednesday evening at Carter Memorial Stadium.
Nardi (1-0) was spectacular as he allowed just four hits and a walk against the 19 batters he faced. Nardi, who also fanned a pair of batters, recorded seven groundouts and induced five fly balls.
Reliever Bruce Hudson was also extremely impressive out of the bullpen as he failed to allow a hit and struck out a pair over his two scoreless frames.
Mundy went 1-for-3 with a double, RBI groundout and a sacrifice fly while right fielder Andrew Szamski went 2-for-3 with a double and a triple. Left fielder Adam Whitacre, the reigning Big South Player of the Week, went 3-for-4 with an RBI.
Radford (5-11) scored two runs on two hits in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back. Szamski smoked a double to left center to move first baseman Spencer Horwitz over (walk) to third. Mundy then delivered an RBI groundout to first base to score Horwitz. Whitacre followed with an infield single to score Szamski.
The Highlanders pushed across two more in the bottom of the third inning on two hits and an error. Mundy came through with a two-out double down the right field line to score shortstop Colby Higgerson (reached on catcher’s interference) and center fielder Carlin Christian (hit by pitch).
Szamski added an RBI sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth when he lifted a fly ball to left field to score Higgerson, who reached on an error by third baseman Joey Castellanos.
Trailing 5-0, UMass Lowell (2-13) had a golden opportunity for a big eighth inning but could only manage one run. Center fielder Vinny Martin drew a two-out bases loaded walk from reliever Ryan Bywaters for the run. Bywaters, however, kept his composure and whiffed pinch hitter Austin Young to end the threat.
The Highlanders put the game away with three runs on three hits in the bottom of the eighth inning. Szamksi lashed a triple to right center and Mundy followed with an RBI sacrifice fly to right. Catcher Will Harless belted his second homer of the season, a two-run shot to right field that scored Whitacre (infield single).
Reliever Brandon Donovan allowed two runs on a pair of hits in the ninth, but was able to complete the game.
–RU Athletics
