Plexico and Stapf Too Much for Radford as Winthrop Down Highlanders, 11-1

RADFORD, Va. – Jeremy Plexico tossed eight innings of one-run ball and Winthrop (33-20 overall, 14-4 Big South) pounded out 17 hits as they downed Radford (13-27, 5-13 BSC), 11-1, in Big South baseball action from Dedmon Center Park. Bennett Stapf led the offensive attack for the Eagles, going 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles and two RBI.

Plexico improved to 11-3 on the season, allowing a run on five hits. He struck out five and walked three in eight innings. Josh Dever (2-8) suffered the loss, allowing seven runs on 11 hits, striking out three and walking three in six innings of work.

The Eagles jumped on the Highlanders with three runs, all with two outs, in the top of the first. Stapf highlighted the rally with a two-run bases loaded single to center. Jacob Dempsey added the final run scoring, while Stapf was in a rundown on a double steal attempt.

Winthrop added two more with single runs in the second and fourth innings, again with two outs. In the second, Grant Neidenfeuhr led off with a walk and came around to score on a Matt Matkovich single to center. Matkovich struck again in the fourth with another RBI single, this time through the right side.

After a 29-minute rain delay, the Highlanders got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Stuart Ritchie led off with a double to left center and scored on a sac fly down the right field line.

A solo home run to left center with two outs in the seventh by Dempsey made it 6-1 in the seventh. They would put two more on the board in the eight on a leadoff homer to left center by Matt Repec and a sac fly by Daniel Carte.

The Eagles closed out the scoring with three more runs in the ninth, highlighted by three consecutive RBI singles by Repec, Chris Leroux and Roberson.

Shaun House, Ryan Wetzel, Kellen Wohlford and Nat Hodges, along with Ritchie each registered a hit for the Highlanders. Roberson, Matkovich and Repec each had three hits for the Eagles. Matkovich and Repec had two RBI apiece. Repec also scored three runs.

These two team meet again tomorrow at noon.

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