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Canisius University Athletics

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Kyle Kush runs out of the batter's box against UMass Lowell on Feb. 15, 2020 at Ting Park in Holly Springs, N.C.
Jenna Hiscock
6
Canisius CAN 3-9-1
14
Winner Radford RAD 6-7
Canisius CAN
3-9-1
6
Final
14
Radford RAD
6-7
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Canisius CAN 3 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 6 9 0
Radford RAD 4 1 3 0 0 0 6 0 X 14 19 4

W: GERBER, A. (2-0) L: Warner, Kyle (2-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Radford Pulls Away from Baseball with Six-Run Seventh Inning

RECAP
With the two teams combining for 12 runs in the first three innings, the Canisius baseball team was dropped by Radford, 14-6, Friday afternoon at Carter Memorial Stadium in Radford, Va. The Golden Griffins and Highlanders each used big first innings to set the tone, but the host's offense ended up coming through with six runs after the seven-inning stretch to secure the victory.
 
With the loss, the Griffs moved to 3-9-1 on the season, while Radford shifted to a 6-7 record in 2020.
 
Powering the Radford offense were Colby Higgerson, who scored three times in a five-hit performance, and Austin Kaplan, who used a double and a home run to produce four RBI in the winning effort. For the Blue and Gold, sophomore Kyle Kush collected two hits while both senior Andy Leader and redshirt-sophomore Mike Mazzara scored twice for the Griffs.
 
Both teams piled on runs in the first inning, as the Griffs scored two runs off a Radford throwing error and cashed in another run when senior Stephen Bennett singled home Leader. Radford answered back with four runs in the bottom half of the frame, as the first three batters all reached base safely before a passed ball allowed Garett Matheny to score Radford's first tally. A David Bryant RBI-single and a two-run double from Kaplan then gave the home team a 4-3 edge.
 
Canisius evened the score in the second, as Mazzara used a sacrifice bunt and two wild pitches to cross home after being hit to open the inning. Higgerson tripled in the home half of the second, and Straton Podaras brought him in with a single on the very next pitch to give Radford the lead once again, 5-4.
 
Radford tacked on three more runs in the third, as Kaplan connected on a two-run home run before Higgerson singled home another run. Mazzara would score again for the Griffs in the fourth on a Radford error, cutting the lead to 8-5. Another Canisius run in the fifth would come off the bat of a Jake Burlingame single, as the senior knocked in Leader to bring the Blue and Gold within two runs at 8-6.
 
The Highlanders put the game out of reach in the seventh with a six-spot in the inning, led by a two-run triple from Matheny, a run-scoring single by Higgerson and a three-run blast courtesy of J.D. Mundy. The 14-6 lead held through the final out, as neither team produced any more offense the rest of the way.
 
Ryan Sande opened the contest by going 4.1 innings and striking out two, with two of his six runs allowed being earned. Austin Gerber got the win in relief, allowing one hit across 2.2 innings and fanning three, while Derek Domecq followed two more shutout innings and punched out two Griffs.
 
Senior Kyle Warner got the ball for Canisius, but exited early after surrendering eight runs and 11 hits over three innings and was handed the loss. Coming out of the bullpen, junior Joe Barberio gave up six runs across 3.1 frames despite registering three strikeouts. Sophomores David Yankowski and Brett Kochanski combined to throw 1.2 innings of scoreless baseball.
 
Head Coach Matt Mazurek's Postgame Comments
"We kept it close and stayed within striking distance but failed to execute offensively to get ourselves back on top. They executed before we did and took control of the game. The rest of the weekend, we need to come to the field ready to be hitters."
 
Game Notes
• The all-time series between the two teams moves to 3-0 in favor of Radford.
• Kush's two hits matched his career high, marking the second time he has done so this season (Feb. 14 vs. UMass Lowell).
• Friday's outing ends Warner's streak of three-consecutive quality starts.
• Barberio's three strikeouts established a career high for the right-hander.
 
Up Next
Canisius continues its series with Radford on Saturday, as the two teams are set to begin the second game of the series at 2 p.m.
 
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