BU Box
Ball State Box

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Radford recorded a split in a pair of midweek contests, rallying past Boston University, 10-8 before falling to Ball State, 7-1 Tuesday from the Eddie C. Moore Sports Complex.

Against the Terriers, the Highlanders (5-7) erased a brief 8-7 deficit with a three-run seventh to pick up the victory.

Junior Shannon Keefe (Lemont, Ill./Lemont) went 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs, including the game-winner. It was the junior's second three-hit game in her last three contests.

In the seventh, sophomore Vicki Madden (Virginia Beach, Va./Kempsville) tied the game with a RBI double, scoring pinch runner Morgan Eye (Bridgewater, Va./Turner Ashby) from second.

On the ensuing play, Taylor Cunningham (Fairfax, Va./Robinson Secondary) hit a roller to second that was misplayed. Going on contact Keefe crossed the plate with the winning run and Madden also scooted home with an insurance run.

In the bottom half of the inning, Chelsea Kelley (Roanoke, Va./Cave Spring) slammed the door on BU with a 1-2-3 seventh.

Cunningham and Madden each recorded a pair of hits. Cunningham roped two doubles and knocked in a career-best three runs. Madden tallied her first double and RBI of the season as well as scoring two runs.

Radford jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first. After Keefe knocked in the first run with a single, the Highlanders took advantage of a two-out error to tally three more.

Following the miscue, Cunningham doubled in Keefe and Michelle Beall (Culpeper, Va./Culpeper County) ripped a two-run single to right.

BU made it a one-run game (4-3) with two in the second and one in the third.

Radford pushed its lead back to four (7-3) with a three-run fifth.

After the Terriers got one run back in the bottom half of the inning, they would take their first lead of the contest on Rachel Hebert's one-out grand slam.

Kelley, who started, allowed four runs on six hits in 3.2 innings of work. She matched a career-high with eight strikeouts

In game two, the Cardinals (12-5) scored seven unanswered runs and Elizabeth Milian (9-1) held the Highlanders to two hits and struck out 10 in a complete game victory.

Radford struck first with a run in the fourth. Junior Kristen Shifflett (Charlottesville, Va./Monticello led off with a triple to right and scored on a one-out sac fly by senior Sarah Himan (Woodbridge, Va./Hylton).

With that run, Shifflett became the fastest Highlanders to 100 runs (129 games). Melissa Pickel (1995-97, 99) held the previous record of 136 contests.

Ball State answered the bottom half of the inning on a two-run double by Amanda Carpenter.

The Cardinals broke it open with a four-run fifth, two of those courtesy of Amanda Montalto's single.

Junior Lauren Williams (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) recorded Radford's other hit, a one-out single in the seventh.

Kelley suffered the defeat, surrenderinging six runs on six hits in 1.2 innings of relief. Freshman Heather Paquette (Mississauga, Ontario), who started and then came back in the sixth, did not allow a run. She struck out one and gave up a pair of hits.

Radford will close out its spring break trip at the USF Under Armour Invitational from March 12-14. The Highlanders open play on Friday against Fairfield and Ball State at 9:30 am and 1:30 pm.