Feb. 25, 2011
AUBURN, Ala. - Radford's Matt Hillsinger hit a first-pitch home run to lead off Radford's two-run 13th inning to send the Auburn baseball team to an 8-6 loss on Friday afternoon at Plainsman Park. Zach Blatt (0-1) took the loss for Auburn, which fell to 3-2 on the year.
"We were up 5-0 and from there on out we never seemed to come up with a big hit in a situation," Auburn Head Coach John Pawlowski said. "It was a good college baseball game. Both teams had their opportunities. In scoring position I was hoping we would come up with the big hit but it didn't work out."
Radford's Jason Patton (1-0) pitched three scoreless innings to pick up the win, allowing a hit and a walk and striking out two.
Auburn finished the game 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position and left 12 men on base after collecting a season-high 15 hits.
Auburn built a 5-0 lead after the fourth after scoring two in the second and three in the fourth before Radford (3-1) began chipping away at the lead. Wes Gilmer (2-for-4, 2B, RBI, 2R) and Justin Hargett (3-for-7, 3 RBI) each singled in runs in the second while Hargett drove in two in the fourth with a single and Casey McElroy (0-for-5, RBI) delivered a sac fly later in the inning.
Radford got three back off of Auburn starting pitcher Slade Smith in the fifth, knocking him from the game after he allowed the three runs on six hits and two walks with a strike out in 4 2/3 innings. Radford had five hits in the inning, including a pair of doubles, to narrow it to a 5-3 game.
After each team scored single runs in the sixth to make it 6-4 Auburn before Radford took advantage of a pair of Auburn errors to tie the game. A throwing error by Gilmer with two out allowed Radford's Alex Guerra (3-for-7, 2B, 3R) to score in the seventh and a misplayed ball by Brooks Beisner (3-for-4, 2B, 3R) with one out in the ninth led to the tying run crossing the plate with one out in the ninth.
Auburn had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the ninth as it had runners on first and second and none out but after a double-play ball put a runner on third, Kevin Patterson (1-for-6) was narrowly beaten to the bag on his hard grounder to first to end the inning.
Following Hillsinger's (2-for-7, 2 RBI) home run, Radford used doubles from Guerra and Robert Lamas (1-for-3, RBI) to put the game away.
Auburn and Radford will play game two of the series at 3pm on Saturday at Plainsman Park. Jr. LHP Cory Luckie (0-1, 6.75) gets the start on the mound for Auburn while Radford will send out Jr. RHP Mark Peterson (0-0, 1.80).
Radford 8, Auburn 6 (Feb 25, 2011 at Auburn, AL)
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Radford............. 000 031 101 000 2 - 8 16 4 (3-1)
Auburn.............. 020 301 000 000 0 - 6 15 3 (3-2)
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Win-PATTEN,Jason(1-0) Loss-Zach Blatt(0-1) T-3:55 A-2788
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