Opponent Preview: Radford

Who’s the Pack playing?

Opponent: Radford

Mascot: Highlanders | School Location: Radford, VA | Conference: Big South

2019 Record: 23-21 (14-7, 2nd) | 2018 RPI Rank: 140

2018 Record: 25-32 (14-13, T-5th) | 2018 RPI Rank: 213

2017 Record: 27-32 (11-13, 5th) | 2017 RPI Rank: 155

When? Where? How do I watch?

Location: Doak Field at Dail Park (Raleigh, NC)

Game Time(s): Friday, May 3 @ 6:30pm; Saturday, May 4 @ 6:30pm; Sunday, May 5 @ 1:00pm

TV: ACC Network Extra (Friday | Saturday | Sunday)

Radio: WKNC 88.1 in Raleigh, GoPack All-Access

Live Stats: Sidearm Stats

Tell me about this team

Let’s take a look at what was said about Radford from our 2019 Season Preview:

Radford has been an average-to-above average program over the last decade, with the exception of an uncommonly good 2015 (45-16, 20-4) followed by an uncommonly bad 2016 (19-39, 9-15). The program has been building since that 2015 Conference Championship and NCAA Regional run (the not-great 2017 team did make the Lousville Regional after making a run to win the Big South Conference Tournament), and the 2019 season should be their best since that one, although not quite to that level. JR 1B Spencer Horwitz (.288/.386/.443, 13 2B, 7 HR, 34:34 BB:K), SR 3B Matt Roth (.287/.355/.441, 11 2B, 6 HR), RS-SR OF Andrew Szamski (.336/.414/.547, 9 2B, 4 3B, 4 HR), RS-SR 2B Kyle Butler (.264/.362/.342, 9 2B, 11 SB), JR C Straton Podaras (.258/.403/.356, 11 2B), RS-JR SS Colby Higgerson (.254/.356/.335, 8 2B, 10 SB), SO OF Garrett Matheny (.218/.328/.385, 9 2B, 5 HR, 9 SB), and SO C Will Harless (not a good hitter) all return as primary starters from a year ago. The offense returns all nine of the top hitters by AB from last year. They should see a nice uptick in production. JUCO 1B Jimmy Goldsmith should also add some pop to the lineup. SR RHP Ryan Sande (2-2, 3.62 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, .246 OBA) and SO LHP Hunter Williams (1-4, 4.71 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, .250 OBA) return to the weekend rotation. Sande was a high school teammate of NC State INF Dillon Cooper at Leesville Road HS in Raleigh; that could make for a fun showdown as the two comprised a formidable middle infield at LRHS. SR RHP Cameron Fritz (3-2, 1 SV, 5.19 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, .253 OBA), SR LHP Andrew Nardi (3-3, 5.14 ERA, 1.83 WHIP, .293 OBA), JR RHP Austin Gerber (2-3, 5.23 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, .284 OBA), and JR RHP Evan Threehouse (0-1, 1 SV, 4.61 ERA, 1.82 WHIP, .339 OBA) return to provide a foundation for the bullpen. Several freshman should help to bolster the pitching staff, including RHP Graham Firoved, LHP Derek Domecq, and RHP Cole Dunn. Firoved should be a weekend starter.

2019 Projected Record: 28-25 (17-10)

NCAA Tournament Bound?: Maybe

This Radford team is a group that can rake, so best not to leave a lot of balls up in the zone. Andrew Szamski and JR Mundy (Virginia Tech transfer) are the leading power guys, but this is a team with dudes who can go yard littered throughout.

There aren’t a lot of strikeout pitchers on this team, and all of the weekend starters are more finesse guys who work for weak contact. They’re a good overall staff, though, and typically pound the zone.

Prediction

After ten straight games of alternative wins and losses, State finally puts together back-to-back wins.

Outcome: NC State takes two of three from Radford