Game One Box
Game Two Box
RADFORD, Va. – Kellie Snooks no-hit Kent State helping Radford claim the 2010 Highlander Classic presented by Comfort Inn & Suites, with a 6-0 victory Sunday afternoon from RU Softball Field. The Highlanders (13-8) won the first game of the day, 3-1 over the Golden Flashes and have recorded seven straight victories.
After the first batter of the game reached on an error, Snooks was perfect the rest of the way, retiring the final 20 Kent State hitters which included a double play erasing the Golden Flashes (8-11) only base runner in the first.
"It felt good," said Snooks. "I settled down after feeling a little nervous in the first inning. The defense made some great plays and was solid the entire game."
It was the first collegiate no-no for Snooks and her second consecutive shutout. It marked the first Radford no-hitter since Ashley Taylor (2005-08) tossed one on April 12, 2006 at home against Liberty and the fifth in program history.
"I noticed it (the no-hitter) in the fifth," stated Snooks. "I tried not to focus on it after that and after being a little uptight in the inning I settled back into the game."
Snooks,
Kristen Shifflett and
Sarah Himan were named to the all-tournament team with Shifflett being named MVP.
With the no-hitter three outs away Snooks recalled what Shifflett said to her as they broke the huddle trying not to jinx the junior right hander.
She came up and said: "You know what you've been doing. Keep doing it. You know what I mean."
Follwing that, she induced a pair of pop ups and after
Shannon Keefe snagged a shallow fly ball, the no-hitter was in the books and her team celebrated the memorable moment with Snooks.
Snooks, who struck out five, received all the run support she needed when the Highlander tallied four runs in the second.
Back-to-back two-run singles Shifflett and Himan highlighted the second, staking Radford to an early 4-0 lead.
Radford added a single runs in the third and fourth innings on a
Michelle Beall run-scoring single and a RBI fielder's choice by
Shannon Keefe.
Shifflett finished the contest 3-for-4 with two RBI, two runs scored and a pair of stolen bases. She ended the four-game tourney, batting .533 (8-15) with a double, home run, five RBI and six runs scored. She was a perfect 4-for-4 on stolen bases and did not make an error in 18 attempts at shortstop. She also recorded a .563 on base percentage from the leadoff spot.
Himan batted .538 (7-13) with a double, home run and six RBI, while stealing a pair of bases and slugging .846.
Meredith Moore and Shifflett hit solo home runs and
Chelsea Kelley tossed a five-hit complete game in a 3-1 victory over Kent State in the first contest.
Moore broke a scoreless deadlock with two outs in the top of the fourth, rocketing her second round tripper of the season to left centerfield.
The designated player batted .455 (5-11) with a pair of doubles, a home run, one RBI and two runs scored. She slugged .909 and recorded a .500 on base percentage in the tournament.
Shifflett made it a 2-0 game in the top of the fifth as she connected on a shot over the centerfield fence. The Highlanders added an insurance run with two outs on Keefe's single to left. A miscue by the outfielder allowed pinch runner Heather Paquette to scoot home from second.
Beth Cinadr hit an opposite field home run to left for KSU, making it 3-1 with two outs in the sixth.
Kelley (9-3) would retire four of the final five batter to secure the win for the Highlanders. She struck out four, walked on and scattered five hits.
Kelley earned a pair of complete game wins this weekend, allowing three runs on nine hits. She struck out nine and walked three in 14 innings of work.
Himan led Radford with a pair of hits, including her sixth double of the season.
Cinadr was 2-for-3 with a double and a home run for the Golden Flashes. Kylie Reynolds (6-9) suffered the complete game loss, allowing two earned runs on nine hits. She struck out 10 and walked one.
Radford returns to action on Tuesday, March 23 at Liberty. The single contest is schedul
