SOFTBALL SWEEPS JAMES MADISON ON THE ROAD

BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2
GAME 1 BOX | GAME 2 BOX

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Radford Softball swept a doubleheader at James Madison on Tuesday from Veterans Memorial Field. The Highlanders (4-3) defeated the Dukes (3-6) by the scores of 3-2 and 6-3.

Nichole Beall was 2-for-3 with the game-winning RBI and Micalah Sacre hit her first collegiate home run as Radford held on for a 3-2 triumph in game one.

The squads traded two-run home runs in the first. Sacre gave the Highlanders an early 2-0 lead with her first collegiate long ball, a high shot over the left field fence.

Ashley Burnham evened it for JMU at 2-all with a line shot to right center.

Radford took the lead for good in the third on an RBI single by Beall. After Hannah Ojeda doubled and moved to third, Beall dropped one just in front of the right fielder.

The Highlanders had several opportunities to extend their lead, but left a total of nine runners on base.

The Dukes' best shot came in the bottom of the sixth, putting runners on the corners with two outs. Emily Norton came in relief of starter Jackie Jenkins and induced a pop up to end the threat. After a two-out single in the seventh, Norton fanned the final batter to earn her first collegiate save.

Jenkins improved to 2-0 with 5.2 innings of four-hit ball. She surrendered two runs and struck out one. Norton allowed a hit in the final 1.1 innings of work.

Jessie Hutchens registered a pair of singles, while Sacre drew two of Radford's six walks and Beall recorded two stolen bases.

In game two, Radford scored a run in the first and never trailed as it defeated James Madison, 6-3, to earn the sweep. The Highlander never trailed and did hold off a late rally by the Dukes for their third straight win.

Michelle Beall, Sacre and Ryndee Rucheach had two hits in the nightcap.

The Highlanders struck in the first inning again when Michelle Beall knocked in her sister Nichole, who led off with a double, with a jam shot to second that she beat out for an infield single.

Hutchens knocked in Radford's second run of the game with a double off the rightfield fence in the fourth. The Highlanders added another run in the sixth as Ruch, who singled, scored on a wild pitch.

JMU pushed across two in the bottom of the sixth on back-to-back doubles to start the frame and a one-out RBI single. However, two heads up defense plays ended the threat.

On the RBI single, Hutchens cut off the throw and nailed the batter trying to advance to second. On a 3-2 count and runner on third, Michelle Beall field a short slap down the third base line and tagged the runner trying to tie the game.

The Dukes scored a run in the seventh and could have had more, but a nice relay from Ruch in left to Nichole Beall to Michelle Beall nailed the runner at home for the first out of the inning.

Radford heads to the Aloha State for spring break taking part in two tournaments hosted by the University of Hawai'i. The Highlanders open up at the Bank of Hawai'i Classic with the host Rainbow Wahine on Friday at 11 p.m.

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