RADFORD, Va. – The Gardner-Webb baseball team is heading to Radford for an important Big South series from April 17-19. Both teams are tied in the conference standings, making this a crucial matchup as the regular season approaches its final month.
In their last game, Gardner-Webb had a strong showing, beating Queens University of Charlotte 11-1 in just seven innings. Kelvin Agosto is having an impressive season, leading the team with a .390 batting average, hitting 53 times, and driving in 34 runs. He’s also smacked four home runs this year. Right behind him, Ryan Kennell has been consistent with a .326 average, highlighted by a standout game against UNC Asheville where he went 4-for-6 at the plate.
Gardner-Webb boasts five players batting over .300, giving them the top team average in the Big South at .302. Matt Ilgenfritz leads in power with nine home runs, ranking fifth in the league, while Merik Carter has contributed seven home runs and drawn 36 walks, which adds another layer of threat to their lineup.
On the pitching side, Oliver Ellison heads the staff with four wins. He has also recorded 48 strikeouts in 55 innings, demonstrating his capability to control the game.
Radford’s season stands at 16-17 with a 5-7 record in conference play. They’ve recently faced challenges, losing three of their last four games, including two out of three against High Point. Junho Son is leading the Highlanders with a .324 average and is tied for the most hits at 35. Devin Parks adds depth with a .316 average and four home runs, but overall, Radford has struggled with power this season, sitting last in the conference with only 14 home runs.
Pitching-wise, Raymond Ladd has been a key player, holding a 4.24 ERA in nine starts. He’s thrown 34 innings, while Corey Costello leads the team with 31 strikeouts over 33.1 innings.
The rivalry between Gardner-Webb and Radford is tight, with each team winning 23 games in their shared history. Last year, Radford edged out Gardner-Webb by winning two of three games. However, Gardner-Webb had a stretch of success, boasting six wins in seven games prior to last season.
This matchup promises to be exciting as both teams are eager to gain an edge in the standings. Fans can expect a fierce competition on the diamond.
