Winthrop's Offensive Attack Too Much For Radford

RADFORD, Va. -- For the second consecutive game, Winthrop (34-20, 15-4 Big South) registered 17 hits and received a strong start as they defeated Radford University (13-28, 5-14 BSC), 15-2, in Big South baseball action from Dedmon Center Park.

Jacob Dempsey and Matt Matkovich led the Eagle offensive attack with three hits and two RBI apiece, as seven player posted multiple hit games for the Eagles. Kellen Wohlford led the Highlanders, going 2-for-3 with a double and a home run.

Kevin Slowey (6-2) picked up the win on the mound, going eight innings, allowing both runs on five hits. He struck out six and walked one. Justin Morgan (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing eight runs, four earned, on 11 hits, striking out two and walking on in six innings of work.

For the second straight day, the Eagles jumped on the Highlanders with three two-out runs in the first. With two outs and a runner on second, rightfielder Ryan Wetzel dropped David Scoggin's fly ball allowing Matt Matkovich to score. On the next pitch, Dempsey deposited a long two-run homer over the right field fence.

The Eagles added a run in the fourth on a RBI groundout by Alan Robbins. Grant Neidenfeuhr led off the inning with on his two doubles, roping one down the right field line. Matt Repec moved him over with a single and Robbins plated him with a slow roller to second. In the fifth, they put three more two-out runs on the board, highlighted by a two-run round tripper to left by Bennett Stapf.

Wohlford registered RU's first hit off Slowey in the fifth, roping a leadoff double to the bottom of the fence in left field. Slowey, who had been perfect through the first four innings, got out of the inning unscathed, as Wohlford was tagged out at third on a comebacker to the mound, then he induce Mike Tarbox into a 3-6-3 double play.

After Winthrop made it 8-0 in the sixth on a sac fly by Scoggin, Radford responded with single runs in the sixth and seventh on solo home runs by Scott Gvozdas and Wohlford respectively, their firsts of the season.

The Eagles regained their eight-run lead in the eighth. Matkovich singled in the first run with a bloop down the left field line. Kyle Roberson, after moving to third on a double play, scored on a passed ball. They would close out the scoring with five more runs in the ninth. Alan Robbins provided two of those runs with a single through the right side.

Robbins finished the game, 2-for5 with three RBI and two runs scored. Along with Robbins, Roberson, Stapf, Neidenfeuhr and Repec added two hits apiece. Stapf and Neidenfeuhr scored a pair of runs.

The final game of the series will begin a 1 p.m. tomorrow at Dedmon Center Park.

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