After scoring 26 runs in the first two games of the series, Radford only managed two runs in the series finale as North Florida salvaged the series with a 7-2 victory Sunday afternoon.
The Highlanders were limited to only three hits with one coming in the fourth and two in the fifth. Radford pumped out 25 hits in the first two games of the series.
North Florida jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the second inning off a Rey Gonzalez two-RBI single into center field. The Ospreys collected two hits in the inning, the first for either team.
Radford had a chance to get a run back in the third inning as Clayton Baine and Carlin Christian earned back-to-back one-out walks. The two runners moved up on a Luke Wise strikeout as the ball bounced away from the Osprey catcher. Kyle Butler was walked on five pitches as ball four was an inside fastball that almost hit Butler.
As Baine got his secondary lead off third base, it appeared as he thought the ball got past the catcher as he broke home, resulting in being tagged out on his way back to third to end the Radford threat.
The Ospreys added a third run in the fourth as Alex Reynolds led off the inning with a single to left field, advancing to second on a throwing error by Christian. Reynolds would later cross the plate on a two-out single by Raff Libuano.
Matt Roth led off the fifth inning with a pinch-hit home run on the first pitch he faced, sending the shot down the left field line. Wise followed with a one-out single to right field. Wise then advanced to third via a failed pickoff attempt by the Ospreys as the ball sailed into foul territory.
Wise would score on a Butler sacrifice fly to right field as the Highlanders pulled within 3-2 after five complete innings. Radford would only receive one base runner in the final four innings coming on a Spencer Horwitz walk in the eighth.
North Florida answered back with two runs in the sixth and two in the seventh, securing its first win of the series. Gonzalez struck again in the sixth with a RBI triple and later scoring on a wild pitch. The seventh saw a RBI single and ground out. The Ospreys tallied their seven runs on 10 hits with five coming in the last three innings.
Kyle Palmer tossed 1.2 innings of scorless baseball out of the bullpen, yielding two hits to the seven batters he faced, forcing four ground outs.
Of North Florida’s 10 hits, only one came as an extra-base hit. Andrew Szamski went 1 for 4 at the plate, finishing the series 8 for 13 with six RBIs and five runs scored. Kyle Butler and Matt Roth finished with a RBI in each game of the series.
Radford cut down on its strikeouts in each game, punching out only six times in game three after striking out 13 times on Opening Day.
North Florida was led by Rey Gonzalez at the plate as the catcher went 2 for 4 with three RBIs and a run scored.
The Highlanders are 13-19 in games played on opening weekend under head coach Joe Raccuia. Radford is now 7-9 against the Sunshine State.
“We just flat out got beat today. North Florida had some big hits with two strikes and we made some mental blunders that provided them some extra opportunities. It was a good weekend for us and gives us an idea of what we are capable of doing,” said Radford head coach Joe Raccuia.
–RU Athletics
