CMU Box | Wagner Box

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Radford began the USF Under Armour Classic with a pair of victories on day one of the three-day tournament. The Highlanders (5-6) rallied past Central Michigan, 5-2 and edged Wagner, 3-2.

Radford scored five runs over the fourth and fifth innings to rally past the Chippewas (3-5), 5-2 in its opening game.

Trailing 2-0 and being no-hit by the Chippewas entering the fourth, the Highlanders recorded four straight hits, to take the lead for good.

The latter two hits, by freshmen Natalie Parsons and Tessa Law, were their first collegiate base knocks and RBI. For Law, it was her first collegiate appearance and at bat. Parsons entered in the first inning and delivered in her second collegiate at bat.

With one out, the Beall twins put Radford on the board with back-to-back doubles, the second by Michelle knocking in her sister Nichole. Parsons bounced one through the left side knocking in Michelle Beall with the tying run. With her classmate on second, Law dropped a 0-2 pitch into centerfield for the game-winning hit.

The Highlanders added two more insurance runs in the fifth to close out the scoring. Seven different Highlanders recorded a hit, including four doubles. Nichole Beall scored two runs.

Chelsea Kelley went the distance. After allowing four hits and two runs to start the game, she settled down for the complete game victory. The lefty hurler, scattered six hits and struck out five to improve to 2-2.

Against Wagner (0-1), Radford and Jackie Jenkins stymied a fifth-inning rally and held on for the one-run victory. Jenkins entered with one out in the fifth and allowed one hit and struck out one over the final 2.2 innings to earn her first collegiate save.

The Highlanders struck for an unearned run in the bottom of the first and added two more in the fourth.

In the fourth, a RBI single by Morgan Eye and a successful squeeze by Ryndee Ruch pushed Radford's lead to 3-0.

Those runs would prove to be important as Wagner got to starter Stephanie Dameron for two runs in the fifth.

With one out Jenkins entered and recorded the second out before a single made it a one-run game. She would get out of the frame inducing a grounder to shortstop.

Except for an error in the sixth, Jenkins did not allow a base runner the rest of the way. Dameron picked up the win in 4.1 innings of work. She allowed two runs on five hits and did not walk a batter.

Radford returns to the field tomorrow for contests against College of Charleston and Jacksonville. Game times are set for 10:00 am and 12:30 pm.