Radford Walks Off With 5-4 Win Over Gardner-Webb Thursday
May 22, 2014 | Baseball
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Danny Hrbek's RBI fielder's choice in the ninth delivered No. 5 Radford a 5-4 walk-off win over No. 8 Gardner-Webb in a Thursday elimination game at the 2014 Big South Conference Tournament.
The Highlanders (33-22) tied the game, 4-4, on a bases loaded wild pitch in advance of Hrbek's fielder's choice. Gardner-Webb (24-31) took the lead on a Scott Coleman home solo home run in the top of the ninth, but could not hold on.
GWU stranded 11 runners in the game, but got clutch hitting in the late innings to hang tough with Radford.
After four scoreless innings, the Runnin' Bulldogs jumped on top with two outs in the fifth – when JJ Nazzaro homered to left for a 1-0 advantage. Ryan Hodge and Coleman followed with singles, but Radford closer Ryan Meisinger came on to limit the damange
Radford made its move in the bottom half of the inning, with Hunter Johnsonbaugh working a leadoff walk and moving into scoring position on a wild pitch. A ground ball moved Johnsonbaugh to third, but Gardner-Webb starter Andrew Barnett got a strikeout for the second out of the frame.
A hit batter put two on board however, and after Chris Coia stole second standing up, leadoff man Josh Gardiner roped a two-run, two-out double to right center for a 2-1 Radford lead.
Nazzaro avoided further scoring on a base hit to right by Josh Reavis, gunning down Gardiner at the plate to end the inning.
Gardner-Webb countered by loading the bases again in the top of the sixth. Scott Johnson walked on five pitches with one away, Collin Thacker laced a single to left and Hunter Smith was plunked to get on board.
Meisinger again worked out of trouble, getting a groundball to cut down Johnson at home for the second out and a strikeout to end a 10-pitch at bat to strand all three men.
The Runnin' Bulldogs struck again in the top of the seventh with two outs, getting an RBI single from Johnson to score Hodge from second. Radford got a strike out to leave two more GWU men stranded heading into the seventh-inning stretch.
The Highlanders wasted no time going back in front, getting a leadoff double in the seventh from Johnsonbaugh. Zach Woolcock followed with an infield single to put men on the corners – chasing Barnett from the game.
A one-out, bloop single to left by Coia with the infield drawn in plated Johnsonbaugh for a 3-2 Radford lead. A wild pitch with two outs moved two runners into scoring position for the Highlanders, and reliever Mitch Warner intentionally walked Reavis to get to a lefty-lefty matchup with All-Big South outfielder Patrick Marshall. Warner won that battle, getting a four-pitch strikeout to get back to the dugout.
A two-out walk to Alex Newman proved fruitful for Gardner-Webb in the eighth, as Newman swiped second and scored on an RBI knock to left by Nazzaro to tie the game, 3-3.
A pair of sharp singles put Radford back in business with one out in the eighth, with Hunter Higgerson and Johnsonbaugh collecting those knocks to put men on the corners and force another call to the Gardner-Webb bullpen.
Woolcock laid down a squeeze bunt attempt, but reliever Brad Haymes made a toss to the plate – and Higgerson was called out to preserve the tie. Haymes then intentionally walked Luke Wise to load the bases and got a shallow fly ball to end the inning.
Coleman gave Gardner-Webb a 4-3 lead in the ninth, hitting the first pitch of the ninth inning over the wall in left for a solo home run. Matt Simmons walked to follow that shot, but Radford was able to get out of the inning down just one run.
Gardiner led off the bottom of the ninth with a first-pitch single and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. A four-pitch walk to Revis put the winning run on board, and an errant sacrifice bunt nearly proved costly for the 'Dogs. The ball got away from Coleman at first, but he was able to throw out Gardiner at home for the first out.
With runners at the corners and one away, cleanup man Alexander Lee stepped in. Gardner-Webb chose to intentionally walk Lee, but the next pitch was in the dirt and Revis trotted home to tie the game. Hrbek then poked the next pitch to short, and Brad Keen slid under the tag to win the game.
Gardner-Webb had 11 hits in the game, with Nazzaro (3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI), Hodge (3-for-5, SB, run), Coleman (2-for-5, HR, RBI) and Johnson (2-for-3, RBI) leading the way.
Haymes (1-5) was tagged with the loss, allowing one earned run in 1.0 inning of work (one hit, three walks). Barnett worked 6.0 innings, scattered seven hits and allowed three runs in a no decision. Warner worked 1.1 scoreless in relief.
Radford also had 11 hits, with Gardiner, Reavis and Johnsonbaugh each collecting two safeties. Daniel Bridgeman (4-2) worked out of a ninth inning jam to pick up the win out of the pen.
Gardner-Webb's season is complete.
