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Jeanna Duerscherl |The Roanoke Times

Radford University catcher Robert Lamas (left) talks with pitcher Shane Pysh during their game against George Mason on Tuesday. The Highlanders fell behind 6-0 after three innings before battling the visiting Patriots the rest of the way, falling 9-5.

Brad Wimmer pitches in the seventh inning against George Mason in the Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium on Tuesday.

First baseman Rick Hoogstraten awaits a put-out throw.

| Chuck Altizer

Special to The Roanoke Times

SALEM -- The Radford University baseball team took on a NCAA tournament team from a year ago -- George Mason -- on Tuesday at Salem Memorial Stadium.

The Highlanders fell behind 6-0 after three innings before battling the visiting Patriots the rest of the way, falling 9-5.

In years past, that may have been considered a moral victory for Radford.

Now, it just leaves the team unsatisfied.

"We are as good as that team right there," said Manager Joe Raccuia, in his third season at the helm of his alma mater.

"We just need to go back to work, we need to get better starting pitching, and we need to take better approaches at the plate."

It's this kind of expectation that has his players excited about what they can become this season.

"We have all the confidence that we can beat anyone we play," senior staff ace Aerik Taylor said.

"Once it all come comes together, I feel we can compete with Winthrop and Coastal [Carolina] and other guys like that."

Pitching will be the key for Radford this season.

Taylor, a second team all-conference pick last season, has shown the strength to lead the staff. Eddie Butler and Bobby Bolling have been strong in the early going as well.

Butler, a freshman, is a major league draft pick who decided to come to Radford instead of turning pro, while Bolling is a junior college transfer who helped lead his team to the World Series last season.

The biggest pitching strength for the Highlanders may be their bullpen, where closer Jason Patten returns after setting the school record for saves last year.

Former Radford High School pitcher Abram Williams is now in his second season after Tommy John surgery and appears to be in a setup role after a season-ending injury to Jake Quigg, who filled that role last season.

It is a comfort for Taylor knowing that the bullpen is there for support.

"The way the bullpen is shaping up, they are going to win a lot of games for us," he said. "The three weekend guys -- we feel like any of us can get the job done, but to have a bullpen likes ours it gives us even more confidence.

"Every game thus far they have held their own."

After setting the second-highest batting average in school history last season, Radford returns four of its top six hitters.

Gone off the top of that list is the 17th-round pick of the New York Mets, Alex Gregory, who became the first Radford and Big South player to hit over .400 in three straight seasons.

Reggie Keen, Tyren Rivers, and Brett Mollenhauer are three of the returning players expected to carry the offense. The fourth is reigning Big South freshman of the year Jeff Kemp, who had shoulder surgery in the off-season and is still not completely back, appearing in just six of the team's 10 games thus far.

"It has been tough especially watching all fall with my injury," Kemp said.

"If I'm not playing I have to help be leader in the dugout and do whatever I can to help win. We've been playing good but we just have to get right formula to win -- we have the players on the field to win games."

While the growth on the field continues, so does the growth of their home facility.

A new playing surface and bigger dugouts will be part of the look of the Highlanders this season.

Construction delays because of the large snowfall in Radford this year pushed several home games to other locations.

But once they're finished, the renovations will be another step in the building of the program by Raccuia and his staff.

"I love where the program is at," Raccuia said.

"I think we are talented enough to compete with anyone but we are still growing. We had a rough start so far but we'll do better."