EARLY OFFENSE CARRIES RADFORD BASEBALL PAST JMU 15-12

Tuesday, April 13

Radford, Va.

3:00 PM

James Madison University

18-15

Radford

14-16

James Madison

Radford

4/14/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

RADFORD, Va., April 13, 2010 - Radford struck for 11 runs in the first two innings and went on to defeat James Madison 15-12 in a non-conference baseball clash on Tuesday afternoon at the Radford University Baseball Field.

JMU fell to 18-15 with the loss, had its three-game winning streak snapped, and dropped its third straight non-conference game. The loss capped a 15-game stretch all against Virginia schools with a 10-5 mark over that stretch. RU improved to 14-16 with the win, snapped a four-game losing skid, and won for just the second time in 10 games.

After JMU struck for five runs to lead off the game, Radford responded with seven in the bottom of the first with just three hits. The Dukes tied it at 7-7 in the second only to see the Highlanders strike again with four. After JMU pulled within one at 11-10 in the fourth, Radford tacked on runs in each of the middle innings en route to the 15-12 win.

JMU actually led in hits 15-14, but was hurt by four errors, its highest total since the first game of the 15-game in-state stretch in a win over VMI.

Brad Wimmer earned the win in relief for Radford after allowing two hits in a scoreless 1 2/3 innings. He was one of three relievers to combine to allow two runs, one earned, on five hits over the final 5 2/3 innings after starter Cassidy McDaniel allowed 10 runs on 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings.

Redshirt senior Jason Kuhn (Stafford, Va./Brooke Point) took the loss to fall to 1-3 after allowing six runs on seven hits in 1 1/3 innings. Sophomore Josh Futter (Columbia, Md./Wilde Lake) kept the Dukes in the game, surrendering four runs, three earned, on seven hits in six innings of relief.

Second baseman Phil Bondi was 3-for-4 for RU with two runs and three RBIs. Catcher Robert Lamas was 3-for-3 with three runs and a walk. Center fielder Tyren Rivers had two hits, including a triple, and drove in three. Reggie Keen homered and drove in two.

Redshirt junior first baseman Trevor Knight (Charlottesville, Va./St. Anne's-Belfield) went 3-for-4 for JMU with three runs and a walk while extending his hitting streak to 23 games. Sophomore catcher Jake Lowery (Midlothian, Va./Cosby), junior shortstop David Herbek (Haymarket, Va./Battlefield), and freshman designated hitter Matt Tenaglia (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East) each had two hits with a walk. Redshirt senior right fielder Matt Townsend (Lorton, Va./Hayfield) and senior second baseman Mike Fabiaschi (Torrington, Conn./Torrington) also had two hits, while freshman third baseman Bradley Shaban (Midlothian, Va./Cosby) had three RBIs in his fourth career start.

JMU struck quickly in the first inning as Knight extended his hitting streak to 23 games with the fourth pitch he saw. Senior left fielder Matt Browning (Mystic, Conn./Fitch) was hit by a pitch and Lowery roped a double into right center for the early 1-0 lead. A Herbek walk loaded the bases with one out and another walk of Tenaglia made it 2-0. Fabiaschi then lifted a sacrifice fly to right field for the third run of the inning. A double steal set up two runners in scoring position again and Shaban singled up the middle for the second and third RBIs of his career and a 5-0 score.

In the Radford first, the Highlanders loaded the bases on a pair of hit batters and a walk. Left fielder Raphael Turner then reached on an error at first to allow two runs to score, still with no outs. A walk reloaded the bases, leading JMU to