DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University rallied from a four-run deficit to tie the score in the fifth inning, but Radford University responded with four unanswered runs the rest of the game to capture the weekend series sweep with a 9-5 victory on Sunday at the Durham Athletic Park.
 
Trailing 5-1 in the bottom of the fifth, NCCU junior designated hitter Luis DeLeon singled to centerfield to drive in the Eagles' first run of the frame. Senior first baseman Vinny Bailey then hit a double down the right-field line to plate two more runs, narrowing the deficit to 5-4. Bailey advanced to third base on a groundout to shortstop, then scored the game-tying run on a two-out wild pitch.
 
The Highlanders regained the lead in the sixth, courtesy of a throwing error that allowed Colby Higgerson to score from second base. The visitors extended its cushion to 8-5 in the eighth after a two-out, two-run homer over the right-field wall by Will Harless. Straton Podaras tallied his second double of the day in the ninth, driving in the final run of the contest.
 
Austin Gerber tossed two scoreless innings in relief to pick up the win for the Highlanders, while Bruce Hudson contributed two hitless innings to register his second save of the season. Starting pitcher Ryan Bywaters tallied six strikeouts and scattered three hits in four innings of work.
 
Reliever Alex Sniffen took the loss for the Eagles, although he allowed just one hit and one earned run with three strikeouts in three innings on the mound.
 
DeLeon was the lone Eagle to record multiple hits, adding two RBI and a run scored.
 
Higgerson and Podaras had three hits apiece to account for nearly half of the team's 13 hits.
 
NCCU (0-3) returns to action on Tuesday, Feb. 18 against High Point University at Durham Athletic Park, starting at 6 p.m.