Softball 4/6/2012 8:38:00 PM

SOFTBALL SPLITS WITH COASTAL CAROLINA

BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2
Game One Box | Game Two Box

RADFORD, Va. – Radford and Coastal Carolina split a Big South doubleheader on Friday from RU Softball Field. The Highlanders (20-10, 6-2 Big South) held on for a 9-8 win in game two, after dropping game one to the Chanticleers (30-12, 7-3) 6-2.

Behind a grand slam and five RBI from senior Hannah Ojeda (Tampa, Fla./Tallahassee), the Highlanders held off a flurry of home runs by Coastal Carolina to bounce back with a wild 9-8 game-two win.

After surging to a 9-0 lead, Radford was one strike from ending the game, but the Chanticleers, behind five home runs, posted four-run fifth and seventh innings to get within one. Junior Jackie Jenkins came in and needed just one pitch to end the rally and earn her third save of the season.

Ojeda finished 2-for-3 with a double, home run and two runs scored. Senior Nichole Beall also homered for the Highlanders and finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run. Senior Michelle Beall added two hits, a double and run.

A four-run second opened the scoring for the Highlanders in game two, highlighted by a two-run home run by Beall. Sophomore Jessie Hutchens and Ojeda added a RBI single and double, respectively.

Ojeda's grand slam to right center powered a five-run third as Radford surged ahead 9-0. Freshman Jackie Warr knocked in the first run of the frame with a RBI single to left. Warr scored twice in game two.

Down to their last strike, the Chanticleers extended the game in the fifth courtesy of three two-out home runs. The first off the bat of Kory Hayden, a two-run shot on a 2-2 pitch. On the next pitch, Kiana Quolas rung one off the scoreboard. After a pitching change, Cacia Pierre hit her third of the day to make it 9-4.

Things got a lot more interesting in the seventh, but Jenkins was able to end the game on one pitch after Quolas and Chelsea Pineda hit a pair of two-run long balls.

Micalah Sacre picked up the win for Radford. The rookie struck out a career high nine in 4.2 innings of work, but walked five. She was cruising with a one-hitter until a two-out walk in the fifth followed by the two home runs ended her shutout bid.

Qualos, Pineda and Pierre each registered two hits for Coastal. Qualos knocked in three with two home runs and scored two. Pierre and Brooke Donovan also tallied a pair of runs.

Ashley Bagwell (8-6) went the distance for the Chanticleers. She surrendered 10 hits, struck out six and walked two.

Pierre hit two of Coastal Carolina's four home runs and Quolas struck out eight as the Chanticleers took game one, 6-2. The win snapped the Highlanders' 17-game home winning streak.

Radford cut the lead to 3-2 on a Hutchens' two-run blast in the fourth, but that would be as close as it would get. Hutchens was 2-for-3 with a double, home run and two RBI.

Quolas scattered six hits and did not walk a batter in the complete-game win for the Chanticleers as she improved to 18-5. Pierre and Brooke Donovan each went 2-for-3 at the plate for Coastal.

Jenkins suffered the defeat after pitching to just two batters in the first inning. She surrendered two runs on one hit and a walk. Stephanie Dameron finished the game as she allowed four runs and six hits with two strikeouts.

Coastal jumped on Radford for three runs in the first inning behind a two-run home run from Donovan and a solo blast off the bat of Pierre.

Hutchens got two back for the Highlanders in the fourth with a two-out long ball over the scoreboard in leftcenter.

Stacy Snellings pushed Coastal's lead to 4-2 with a solo home run to center in the fifth. After the Highlanders stranded two more runners in scoring position, Pierre extended the Chanticleers' lead to 6-2 with her second long ball of the game.

Radford stranded six runners for the game, all in scoring position.

The teams will wrap up the series tomorrow, April 7 at 1 p.m. Prior to the game Radford will recognize 2011 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award winner Chelsea Kelley. The former Highlander twirler will also throw out the game's first pitch.

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