JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Interstat) — Radford scored six runs in the top of the eighth inning to erase a four-run deficit and beat East Tennessee State 12-10 on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at Thomas Stadium.

The Highlanders improved to 22-21, while the Buccaneers dropped to 29-17. Radford collected 11 hits to East Tennessee State’s 14, but the visitors capitalized on four Buccaneer errors to overcome a 10-6 hole.

Radford broke a 4-0 lead in the first inning with a string of unearned runs before East Tennessee State answered with single runs in the first and third innings. The Buccaneers erupted for five runs in the fourth, taking an 8-6 lead on a two-run double by Jamie Palmese and a two-run double by pinch hitter Axel Melendez. Ian Guanzon followed with an RBI single to make it 8-6. A triple by T. Curless in the fifth pushed the lead to 9-6, and Melendez’s RBI single in the seventh stretched it to 10-6.

Radford’s decisive eighth began when C. Richards reached on a throwing error by third baseman A. Hill. After a walk to L. Sullivan, J. Son singled to load the bases. B. Son singled to right center to bring home Richards. H. Keen then singled through the right side, scoring Sullivan and keeping the bases loaded. N. Toole doubled to right center, clearing the bases with two runs to tie the game at 10-10. Keen scored on a wild pitch to give Radford the lead, and Toole later scored on another wild pitch for the final margin.

Noah Toole finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs for Radford. Ian Guanzon went 4-for-4 with two RBIs for East Tennessee State. Jamie Palmese also had three hits and two RBIs, while Axel Melendez drove in three runs on two hits, including a pinch-hit double. On the mound, Radford’s Hunter Howard struck out three in a scoreless eighth inning and Mason Hatcher fanned three in a scoreless ninth to seal the win. Cody Carwile pitched 2.1 innings of one-hit, scoreless relief for the Buccaneers.

Radford had taken a 4-0 lead in the first inning on a sacrifice fly, a two-run single by T. Sparrer and a bases-loaded walk, but East Tennessee State chipped away with a sacrifice fly from H. Son in the bottom of the first and a two-run walk in the third. The Buccaneers’ five-run fourth included Palmese’s two-run double and Melendez’s two-run double, both with two outs.

Radford’s bullpen allowed just one run over the final five innings after starter M. Self was lifted in the third. Self gave way to B. Keefe, T. Ludy, A. Steinhaus, P. Noonan, Howard and Hatcher. Steinhaus threw two scoreless innings with one strikeout.

The game featured seven pitchers for East Tennessee State, including reliever D. McCarley, who recorded 1.1 scoreless innings with a strikeout. Radford’s four errors contributed to three unearned runs for the Buccaneers.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of East Tennessee State 6, Radford 5, and its ELO system gave the Buccaneers a 77.40 percent probability to win.