Masterful Radke Propels Pilots over SMC

Box Score I Video Highlights

PORTLAND, Ore. --- Freshman LHP phenom Travis Radke retired 19 of the final 20 batters to polish off a complete game victory over the Saint Mary’s Gaels Saturday afternoon at Joe Etzel Field. Backed by sophomore OF Turner Gill’s 3-for-4 performance, Radke fanned 10 to lead the Pilots to a 5-1 West Coast Conference victory.
 
Portland (24-18, 11-9 WCC) took the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning when junior IF Brian Frattali roped a single to left field, easily scoring senior IF Kris Kauppila. Kauppila had walked earlier in the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch.
 
Radke (7-3) did not need any more run support, turning in yet another masterful performance en route to his first career complete game. It was the second time this year the freshman has struck out more than 10 opponents in a game, limiting the Gaels (23-25, 7-13 WCC) to just four hits, one walk, and one unearned run.
 
The Gaels opened the game with an unearned run, but Radke kept the Gael’s off balance the rest of the game. A two-out single in the top the third inning marked the last hit of the game for Saint Mary’s. Prior to Chris Murphy’s two-out walk in the seventh, Radke set down 12 straight batters.
 
The Pilots gave Radke a trio of insurance runs in the seventh with two-out doubles from Gill and Kauppila. Gill sent a hard grounder down the right field line, bouncing off the glove of a diving Collin Ferguson and into Saint Mary’s bullpen.
 
After freshman OF Caleb Whalen drew a walk, Kauppila sent a fly ball down the right field line to chase Gael’s starter Kyle Barraclough (2-8). Whalen would then score on a dropped third strike to extend the lead.
 
Barraclough lasted 6.2 innings, allowing five runs on nine hits. Thomas Cortese pitched the final 1.1 for SMC.
 
Portland’s first run of the game came on Gill’s RBI triple in the third inning. Finishing the game a home run shy of the cycle, Gill is now 5-for-7 on the weekend with three extra base hits and three RBI.
 
With a 1.62 ERA in 72.1 innings of work, Radke takes the team ERA lead away from senior RHP Kyle Kraus (1.63 ERA – 93.2 IP). Radke has limited opponents to a .185 average, lowering his WHIP to 0.9358. He also upped his strikeout-to-walk ratio to a 72:23.
 
Portland and Saint Mary’s wrap-up the Pilots final home conference series of the 2012 season on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. RHP Chris Johnson (3-3, 3.56 ERA) takes the mound for Portland, matching up against LHP Ben Griset (2-6, 4.45 ERA).