RADFORD, Va. – The High Point University baseball team piled on 18 hits to beat Radford University, 11-2, on Friday night.
Site: Sherman Carter Memorial Stadium
Score: High Point 11, Radford 2
Records: High Point (18-8, 4-0), Radford (12-12, 3-1)
Head Coach Joey Hammond: "Great start to the weekend.
Wade Walton was fantastic tonight and it was great to see him respond that way. It will hopefully set the tone for the rest of our staff and this weekend. It was an impressive performance by our offense from top to bottom. We were able to score in multiple ways with a few homers and a few big two out RBI's late in the game to extend the lead."
Friday night starter,
Wade Walton had another stellar outing in 6.0 innings, allowing two runs, on two hits, striking out 10 batters. He earned his fifth win on the season to improve his record to 5-2.
A leadoff single up the middle-put
Konni Durschlag on base creating an opportunity to score early.
Landen Johnson took full advantage and ripped a double in the gap to score Durchlag from first to open the scoring.
Two base hits to start the third for HPU set up
Three Hillier to smoke an opposite field three-run home run to extend the lead to 4-0 for his third long ball of the year.
Through three innings, Walton was dealing with six strikeouts to keep the Highlanders off the bases. Radford found some success in the fourth inning adding one run on one hit to cut into the Panthers lead. Walton responded and sent the Highlanders down in order in the bottom of the fifth.
The lead was extended for HPU when
Christian Smith hit his third homer of the year to deep center for a solo shot in the sixth inning. The Highlanders had a home run of their own in the bottom half of the frame to cut the lead to three.
The homers kept coming as
Jackson Melton led off the seventh with his fourth home run of his campaign to add another run for HPU. After
Howell Polk relieved Walton, Polk sent the Highlanders down unscathed, before
Landen Johnson added some insurance runs with his fourth hit, a bases loaded, bases clearing double in top of the eighth.
The runs kept coming as Smith added another RBI to his sheet as he drove in a run on a single to left field. With the runners on the corners and two outs, Durschlag singled up the middle for his third hit of the night to score Smith from third.
Polk closed it out for the Panthers in the bottom of the ninth to secure the Friday night, 11-2, victory.
Up Next: High Point will play game two of the series tomorrow afternoon. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m.
#GoHPU
