Radcliff Singles Home Game-Deciding Score for Cavs

May 7, 2008
BOXSCORE

Kingsport, Tenn. – Seth Radcliff lined a solid single over the shortstop on the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the sixth to give UVa-Wise the game-deciding run for a 4-3 victory over King College in the first day of the NAIA Region XII baseball Tournament.

With the victory, the Highland Cavaliers (30-21) move on to face the Union College Bulldogs on Thursday. Union defeated Indiana-Southeast 6-1 in the day’s first game. The win gives UVa-Wise its second 30-win season in a row after finishing 32-17-1 for the 2007 season.

In just his sixth start of the season, Radcliff (Palmyra, Va.) went two for four with his second rbi. Brad Robbins (Big Stone Gap, Va.) lined three singles while Josh Verts (Winchester, Va.) had a run-scoring single and double. Adam Skoranski (Cheyenne, Wyo.) doubled home the Cavs’ second run. Brad Austin (Hillsville, Va.) and Jorge Laboy (Woodbridge, Va.) accounted for the other two singles.

Brock Funk (Fries, Va.) had one his best outings of the year. He went seven innings where the senior allowed three runs, all earned, seven hits, walked two and struck out six. David Jones (Amelia, Va.) came on in the eighth to retire six-straight batters, fanning three including the final out.

King (31-17) saw Teon Richburg start the contest with a single up the middle, stole second and would score three batters later on a hit from Mike Torrence.

The Cavs would take their first lead in the home fourth. With two outs, Matt Duffy ( Martinsville, Va.) struck out but reached first on a wild pitch. Robbins and Verts followed with singles to plate Duffy to tie the game, 1-1. Skoranski sliced a double into the left field corner to score Robbins to move in front, 2-1.

After the Tornado tied the game in the top of the fifth, Matt Morris drew a two out walk. Morris moved to second on a passed ball, went to third on a Ryan Kennedy single and score on a wild pitch for a 3-2 advantage in the sixth.

In the bottom of the sixth, Duffy led off and reached on a King error. He moved up on a deep fly out by Robbins to center. Verts lined his second scoring hit with a double to tie the game, 3-3. After a Skoranski fly out, Radcliff pounced on the first pitch from Tornado starter Jace Smith to plate Verts for the 4-3 lead.

Jones was called upon in relief of Funk with one on in the bottom of the eighth. Jones enticed a pop out and two strikeouts to finish the frame before hurling a perfect ninth for the 4-3 win.