Late Push Not Enough for Bulldogs in 2015 Finale

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville baseball team scored 10 straight runs on Saturday afternoon, but were unable to dig themselves out of a six-run first inning hole, falling 16-10 to Radford in the Bulldogs' 2015 season finale.

The Bulldogs (21-34, 5-19 Big South Conference) scored 10 runs over the fifth, sixth and seventh frames to come back and pull the score to 13-10, but the Highlanders (39-14, 20-4) used a three-run homer in the top of the ninth to finish the game off.

Asheville was led offensively by Joe Tietjen's four hit afternoon, driving in two RBI, while Pete Guy came off the bench to collect two hits and three RBI. Hunter Bryant notched a single and two RBI as he ran his on-base streak to 34 games in his final contest waering the Blue and White.

Bulldog starter Lucas Clarke was unable to record an out, allowing six runs on five hits before exiting and giving way to nine Asheville relievers for the remainder of the afternoon.

Radford jumped on the board with the six first inning runs, highlighted by a three-run homer and a pair of RBI doubles. The added a run in the second and two more in the third via a two-run homer. An errant throw brought in a run in the fourth, and three more runs crossed in the top of the fifth to extend the advantage to 13-0.

The Bulldogs responded with three runs in the bottom of the fifth, using a Bryant sacrifice fly to plate their first run before a wild pitch brought in the second run of the inning and Erik Connolly's double down the left field line plated the third run of the frame.

Asheville added a run in the sixth via Guy's two-out double to deep center field to pull to 13-4.

The 10-run seventh inning saw the Bulldogs bat around the lineup and featured RBI singles from Bryant and Kyle Towles and a two-run single from Guy. Kyle Carruthers drew a bases loaded walk to bring in a run, and Tietjen brought in a pair of runs with his double into left field as Asheville pulled to within three.

Asheville got a runner on in the eighth, but saw a double play eliminate the chance and send the game to the ninth.

In the ninth, Hunter Higgerson wrapped the afternoon up with his three-run homer to give Radford some breathing room. Higgerson finished with just two hits, but tallied six RBI for the Highlanders in the game.

The Bulldog ninth saw Tietjen single and Guy get hit by a pitch to give them a pair of runners on with one out, but Radford was able to induce a fly ball to right field and a pop up to the shortstop to close things out.