BY TIM HAYES

Bristol Herald Courier

KINGSPORT, Tenn. — Seth Radcliff atoned for a season of struggles at the plate with the best performance of his collegiate career on Wednesday afternoon.

Radcliff went 2-for-4 and drove in the go-ahead run as the University of Virginia’s College at Wise collected a 4-3 victory over King College in the first round of the NAIA Region XII baseball tournament at Hunter Wright Stadium.

UVa.-Wise (30-21) will play Union College today at noon, while King meets Tennessee Wesleyan at 3:30 p.m. on day two of the event.

Radcliff was the unlikely hero on Wednesday. The sophomore second baseman from Palmyra, Va. entered the game hitting just .100 (2-for-20) with one RBI in limited duty.

However, he lined a first-pitch single into left field off King ace Jace Smith in the bottom of the sixth inning. The hit plated Josh Verts and snapped a 3-3 tie.

"I basically stepped in there and was looking fastball," Radcliff said. "If he threw me a fastball around the zone, I was going to swing at it. I didn’t put any pressure on myself at all."

Radcliff had struck out in his previous two at-bats, but produced in the clutch.

"I hadn’t seen live pitching in a long time," Radcliff said. "It’s been at least a month since I had an at-bat in a live game. The sliders he threw me were really good, so I knew I was going to have to sit on a fastball."

Radcliff’s hitting prowess also made a winner of UVa.-Wise starting pitcher Brock Funk, in what could have been his final collegiate start. Funk allowed three runs on seven hits in seven innings, while walking two and striking out six.

"The defense played great behind me today," Funk said. "They deserve the credit. Everybody came through big. We had big hits, key defensive plays. It was a good all-around game and you can’t complain about that."

Brad Robbins added a 3-for-4 effort at the plate for UVa.-Wise, while Verts collected two RBIs. David Jones got the final six outs, three by strikeout, for his first save of the season.

The only thing missing for the Highland Cavaliers was their head coach. Hank Banner was forced to miss the game after being ejected from the team’s final game in last week’s Appalachian Athletic Conference tournament.

As for King, the Tornado (31-17) was done in by three errors and a key passed ball in the fourth inning.

"We’ve got to catch it," King coach Mark Conkin said. "If you don’t catch it, you’re not going to win."

Smith suffered his first loss of the season, allowing four runs (three earned) on nine hits in 7 2/3 innings. Leadoff hitter Teon Richburg and second baseman Ryan Kennedy led King with two hits apiece.

But nobody had a bigger hit than Radcliff.

"It feels amazing," Radcliff said. "It feels real good."

King College 100 011 000—3 7 3

UVa.-Wise 000 202 00x—4 10 0

J. Smith, Wallace (8) and C. Cant. Funk, D. Jones (8) and Skoranski. W—Funk (6-5). L—J. Smith (7-1). S—D. Jones (1). HR—none.

thayes@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2570