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CONWAY, S.C. – Radford rallied from an early deficit and got an outstanding relief appearance from Kellie Snooks to defeat Winthrop, 5-2, and capture its second straight Big South Tournament Championship Saturday at CCU Softball Field. The 2010 NCAA Selection Show will be televised on ESPNU Sunday evening at 10 p.m.

After falling behind 2-0 in the first, Radford batted around and scored five runs in the second and Snooks (pictured left) shut down Winthrop with six innings of shutout relief as Highlanders (36-15) upended the Eagles (28-29) in championship contest.

“This was a great team effort for the entire tournament,” said head coach Mickey Dean.

At one point Snooks, who struck out two, retired 11 straight batters into the seventh and then was the benefit of two spectacular catches by junior center fielder Shannon Keefe to secure the championship. An all-tournament selection, Snooks scattered five hits, walked none and only allowed two base runners in one inning (seventh).

Snooks, an all-tournament selection, scattered five hits, walked none, while only allowing two base runners in one inning (seventh).

Ashley Jackson led off the seventh with a deep fly to center but Keefe (pictured right) positioned herself on the warning track, left her feet and pulled back the home run attempt. Following a pair of singles, Keefe dove and snagged a sinking line drive, got to her feet and rifled a bullet to Big South Tournament MVP Kristen Shifflett to double up the runner and end the game.

“We played incredible defense the entire tournament (zero errors, three double plays),” stated Dean. “Shannon's (Keefe) two plays in the seventh capped it off and the double play to end the game was unbelievable.”

Joining Snooks and Shifflett on the all-tournament team were junior third baseman Taylor Cunningham and sophomore second baseman Nichole Beall.

Shifflett batted .600 (6-10) with a pair of long balls, six RBI and four runs scored and was a part of a defense that did not commit an error in 93 chances.

Winthrop loaded the bases with one out in the top of the first and scored a pair of runs on Ashlee Revell's sac fly and Kelly Blea's two-out RBI single.

After a leadoff single by Veronica Berrie in the second, Snooks entered the game. Berrie was quickly erased as she was gunned out a second on a steal attempt and Snooks got out of the inning unscathed.

“Chelsea Kelley got us here and Kellie Snooks finished it off like they have done all season,” commented Dean.

The Highlanders exploded for five runs in the second, highlighted by a pair of two-run doubles by Meredith Moore and Shifflett. Following a pair of one-out singles, Cunningham knocked in Radford's first run with a run-scoring two-bagger to right center.

Moore (pictured left) gave the Highlanders the lead for good when she roped a double to the gap in left center. Following an infield single and pitching change, Shifflett laced Cari Wooldrige's first pitch in the right center gap, plating two more runs.

That would be the end of the scoring as both relief pitchers shut down their opposition the rest of the way.