BOX SCORE

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Shannon Keefe went 3-for-4 with three RBI and Kellie Snooks provided 3.2 innings of shutout relief as top-seeded Radford stayed alive with a 9-1 six-inning victory over No. 4 Charleston Southern in game eight of the Big South Softball Championships presented by Musco Sports Lighting, Friday morning from Terry Field on the campus of Winthrop University.

With the victory, the Highlanders (36-20) earn a rematch with fifth-seeded Coastal Carolina (25-32) at 3 p.m. Should Radford win that game, the teams will face off one more time at 8 p.m.

Keefe homered, doubled and stole one of Radford's six bases. Snooks (W, 1-3) entered with one out in the third and allowed just one hit over the final 3.2 innings. She struck out two and did not walk a batter to earn her first win of the season.

Along with 11 hits and the strong relief outing, the Highlanders flashed the leather, including a highlight-reel catch by leftfielder Lauren Williams.

Radford got an early first-inning run on back-to-back two-out singles. After Taylor Cunningham singled and stole second, she scored when Keefe laced a two-strike pitch back up the middle.

Kristin Kelleher homered in the third to knot the game at one. That would be it for the Buccaneers as Snooks entered with a runner on and one out. She needed just two pitches to get out of the inning and cruised the rest of the way with a strong defense behind her.

After Megan Lombard singled in the sixth, Kristen Shifflett robbed Erin Kegley of a single with a nice backhand stab and toss to second. Using her speed and all of her 5-4 frame, Williams one-upped Shifflett as she took away a sure double by Jessica Brock. On a sinking line drive to leftcenter, Williams laid out and caught the ball just before it hit the outfield grass for the second out of the inning.

Solo long balls by Shifflett in the third and Keefe in the fourth gave Radford a 3-1 advantage. A two-run shot to leftcenter by Nichole Beall in the fifth pushed its lead to 5-1.

The Highlanders closed out the game with a four-run sixth, which included RBI singles by Cunningham and Michelle Beall.

Shifflett scored three runs and recorded two hits. Cunningham and Michell Beall also had two hits.