Sports
3.28.20121 The Blue Banner I 11
Photo by Cabe Ainslie- Photography Staff
Sophomore Andrew Kirkland slides into the base in the game against Western Carolina on March 21 at McCormick Field.
Bulldogs fall to Radford in three-game series
_Randg| Walton
'^olton@unca.edu - Staff Writer
Inclement, rainy weather and
a fiercely competitive oppo
nent plagued the Bulldogs as
they played a consecutive three
game series against Big South
I'ival Radford University last
Weekend.
“These three games are con
ference games and they’re ex-
hemely important,” said Tom
Smith, head baseball coach,
before the games. “They deter
mine what we do at the end of
the season. Our ranking in the
conference determines if we
get invited to conference tour
nament. We have to get a good
practice in and review the fun
damentals.”
Conference games, no matter
the opponent, all carry the same
^^Ight, said -junior catcher
Ian Graham.
The Radford games are just
as important as any other con-
erence series,” he said. “They
nount towards our teams stand-
tng in the conference touma-
ment at the end of the year.”
nhe team also sees Radford
said^ strong opponent. Smith
They finished in top third
Tk conference last year,
hey’re regularly at the top,”
the Asheville-native said.
“We’re going to have to pitch
well, get timely hits on offense
and execute when we have the
opportunity.”
Pitching determines the win
ner of the series, becoming the
most important element of the
three games, especially with
rain pelting down on them.
Smith said.
“It’s going to be a matchup of
pitching depth and overall team
depth with offensive players,”
the 57-year-old said. “It’s bet
ter judgment. Instead of having
one pitcher dominate, you’ve
got to have two or three pitch
ers.”
The Bulldogs fell to the
Highlanders on Friday with a
score of 1-16, on Saturday with
a score of 0-9 and on Sunday
with a score of 1-2. The losses
mark the first time the Bulldogs
fell to an opponent in the Big
South Conference, putting their
overall record at 12-13 and their
conference record at 3-3.
The three-game sweep also
marks the fourth consecutive
year of Radford sweeping the
Bulldogs. The Highlanders
have now won 12 games in a
row against UNC Asheville.
Rain came hard, but the team
did not allow themselves to
drown, Graham said.
“The weather didn’t really
have an effect on the games,
overall, but rain always is an
obstacle any baseball team has
to deal with,” said the Virginia
Beach, Va., native. “It’s noth
ing new.”
Despite the dreary condi
tions, the game plan called for
simplicity and sparks. Smith
said.
“We need a lot of energy and
we need to go out, execute well
and win three games,” he said.
“A three-game streak, that’s
what we go for.”
Every weekend provides the
opportunity for wins, Graham
said.
“Our team’s goal is to always
take at least two out of three
games every weekend,” said
the business administration
student.
Radford crushed UNCA’s
dreams of a winning streak by
restraining their offense.
On Friday, the Bulldog’s of
fense stalled. Only four players
reached base the entire night.
“Radford played very well
offensively, defensively and
on the mound this weekend,”
Graham said. “Our pitching did
very well. We were just throw
ing to some hot Radford bats.”
Saturday’s game produced
the same lack of offense, ac
cording to University Athletics
Officials. Leading the offense,
Graham got three hits out of the
four times he came up to bat.
Right-handed pitcher Brian
Connolly, credited with the
loss, played four innings and
allowed three runs on five hits.
“Radford proved to be a
strong opponent, but nothing
we couldn’t handle in the con
ference tournament,” Graham
said.
Though Sunday’s score ap
peared significantly better than
the previous two games, Rad
ford still managed to hold back
the Bulldogs. Pitcher Dean
Roland allowed only six hits
and struck out seven hitters,
pitching for 10 shutout innings.
Radford and UNCA remained
tied with one run apiece until
the 14th inning, when Rad
ford’s Josh Gardiner produced
the game winning hit.
The three-game losing streak
against a conference rival em
powers the team, Graham said.
Now, the team’s remains fo
cused on their next encounter
with a Big South Conference
rival.
“Our team will use this
week’s mid-week game and
practices as an opportunity to
improve for next weekend’s
conference series,” he said.
Bulldog Scorecard
Baseball
• March 20
vs. ETSU
1-3 (L)
• March
21 vs.
Western
Carolina
3-1 (W)
Friday vs
Radford
0-16(L)
Saturday
vs.
Radford
0- 9(L)
Sunday
vs.
Radford
1- 2(L)