SOFTBALL SPLITS ON SENIOR DAY

BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2
Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box

RADFORD, Va. – On senior day, Radford Softball earned a split with Gardner-Webb after taking a 4-1 victory in game two, Saturday afternoon from RU Softball Field. The Runnin' Bulldogs ((25-25, 11-9 Big South) won the opener, 4-1.

Prior to the contest, the Highlanders' (29-18, 13-4) senior class consisting of Michelle Beall, Nichole Beall, Vicki Madden, Meredith Moore and Hannah Ojeda were recognized for their contributions to the softball program.

In the nightcap, freshmen Micalah Sacre andEmily Norton combined on the two-hitter in the 4-1 win. Norton earned her second save of the season with two innings of no-hit shutout relief. Sacre fanned eight and walked three in five-plus innings, improving to 8-6.

The Highlanders registered 10 hits led by the senior duo of Ojeda and Madden with two base knocks and one RBI apiece. Nichole Beall scored two runs and Moore added a pinch-hit single. Ojeda finished the day 4-for-6 with two RBI.

Madden gave Radford a quick 1-0 lead with a run-scoring single to right, plating Nichole Beall who reached on an error, stole second and was sacrificed to third by Ojeda.

McKenzie Morenus evened the score at 1-apiece for Gardner-Webb with a one-out solo shot over the centerfield fence in the fourth.

Just after Radford left the bases loaded with one out in the third, it broke the tie with two-run fourth, courtesy of three hits and a Bulldog miscue. After freshman Jackie Warr singled and Nichole Beall doubled off the top of the centerfield fence, Ojeda singled to the backhand side of the second baseman. Warr scored easily and Beall scooted home when the ball was booted away.

The Highlanders executed a first and third play to add a run in the sixth and go up 4-1. With two outs, Ojeda took off for second. As she was being run back to first, Eye broke for home and avoided the tag with a nice slide a quick reach to graze home plate.

Cindy Boomhower suffered the loss in the circle for the Bulldogs. In 3.2 innings of relief, she allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits with four strikeouts and one walks. Alyssa Guitierrez started and lasted 2.1 innings in which she gave up an unearned run on four hits. She also walked a batter.

A complete-game five-hitter from Jessica Childers and a three-run home run off the bat of Amanda Gomes lifted Gardner-Webb to a 4-1 victory in game one.

Childers allowed an unearned run on five hits, all singles with five strikeouts and one walk. Five different Runnin' Bulldogs recorded a hit and Samantha Meenaghan scored two runs.

Junior Jackie Jenkins suffered the defeat. She also went the distance surrendering two earned runs on five hits with four strikeouts and no walks.

The Highlanders got on the board in the third on a two-out RBI single by Ojeda. She knocked in junior Morgan Eye, who singled, stole second and moved to third on a throwing error.

Ojeda did record two of Radford's five hits.

Gomes' long ball quickly erased Radford's advantage, putting Gardner-Webb up for good, 3-1

The Runnin' Bulldogs added to the lead (4-1) with an unearned run on a 2-out RBI single by Morenus. Meenaghan, who reached on an error, scooted home from second with the fourth run.

The teams will conclude the series tomorrow at 1 p.m.

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