Radford scored six of its runs in the middle innings, got six shutout innings from right-handed starter Aerik Taylor (Williamsport, Md./Williamsport), and cruised to a 7-2 win over Rider on Saturday afternoon.

The Highlanders (4-7), who were playing their first game at home in 2010, got a 3-for-5 performance and 4 RBIs from Brett Mollenhauer (Roanoke, Va./Hidden Valley), whose two-run single in the sixth inning gave Radford a 6-0 lead on the Broncs (5-4).  Tyren Rivers (Suffolk, Va./Nansemond River) finished 3-for-4, hitting a pair of doubles.

Radford plated four of its seven runs with two outs and manufactured scoring opportunities on 12 hits, of which 10 were singles, with four stolen bases and three sacrifices.

“That’s the first time our offense has used what we deem our ‘style of play’,” head coach Joe Raccuia said.  “We executed a safety squeeze, some drag bunts, hit-and-runs and made some good reads on pitches in the dirt.  Teams will make an effort to shut down our running game and it actually worked today.  So we adjusted.”

Taylor turned in his third quality start of the season, picking up his first win (1-0) with five strikeouts and four hits in six innings.  He set down the side in order four times, and induced a pair of double plays.

“I think a key to this game was Aerik Taylor keeping us at zeroes until we could get to their starter,” Raccuia said.  “He kept us in the game, with basically one pitch, and grinded it our for us to get the ‘W’.”

Mike Thomas took the loss for Rider, allowing five runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings (1-2).  He departed during Radford’s three-run sixth, where Carl Travers (Huntingtown, Md./Riverdale Baptist) pushed across Raphael Turner (Washington, D.C./Woodrow Wilson) on a one-out safety squeeze to give the Highlanders a 4-0 lead.  After Rivers moved over a pair of runners with a sacrifice bunt on the next play, Mollenhauer hit his bases-clearing single to open up a 6-0 lead.

A.J. Albee and Matt McCollum had two hits each for the Broncs, who pushed across both of their runs in the final two innings.

Radford and Rider meet in a doubleheader beginning at noon today.  The teams will play a nine-inning game followed by a seven-inning contest.

Photo of Brett Mollenhauer courtesy of RU Sports Information