SOFTBALL DROPS SEASON OPENER AT VIRGINIA TECH

NICHOLE BEALL HITS 40TH CAREER HOME RUN IN FOURTH

BOX SCORE
BOX SCORE

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Nichole Beall hit her 40th career home run, but Radford was defeated in its season-opener at Virginia Tech, 9-1 on Tuesday afternoon from Tech Softball Park.

Beall's long ball, which led off the fourth, was the Highlanders (0-1) first hit and run of the season. It puts her one home run behind career record holder Kristen Shifflett (2008-11).

Vicki Madden doubled with two outs in the fifth for the Highlanders other base hit.

Radford's pitchers held the Hokies (6-0), who were averaging nine hits in their first five games, to just four base hits. However, they were plagued by six walks, four hit batters and three errors, which led to five unearned runs for Virginia Tech.

Jasmin Harrell picked up the win for the Hokies. She struck out nine and walked two, improving to 3-0. At the plate, Dani Anderson was 2-for-3 with 3 RBI.

Freshman Emily Norton suffered the defeat in her collegiate debut. The righty allowed five runs, just one earned, on three hits with three strikeouts and three walks in two innings of work.

Jackie Jenkins and Micalah Sacre also saw time in the circle.

The Hokies took advantage of two walks, a hit batter and an error to grab an early 3-0 lead in the first. An RBI single by Courtney Liddle coupled with an error in left led to the Hokies first two runs. Liddle came home on Betty Rose's sac fly.

Two-out errors in the second and third keyed Virginia Tech's next three runs. Anderson matched Beall's home run with her liner over the leftfield fence in the fourth. A bases loaded walk and hit batter closed out the scoring in the fifth.

Radford returns to action next weekend, Feb. 25 and 26, when it takes part in the Georgia Southern Invitational. The Highlanders will face #22 Kentucky and the host Eagles on Saturday, followed by contests against Albany and Jacksonville State on Sunday.

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