Softball 2/24/2013 12:20:00 PM

SOFTBALL EARNS FIRST WIN OF SEASON AGAINST WAGNER; FALLS TO SOUTH CAROLINA

BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2 MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – Radford picked up its first win of the season with an 8-1 victory over Wagner in its first game of the rain-shortened College of Charleston Cougar Classic before dropping its second contest against South Carolina, 9-0, on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

Radford 8, Wagner 1
A seven-run first and a combined four-hitter by freshmen Rachael Walters and Allie Reid, powered Radford to its first win of the season, an 8-1 triumph over Wagner. It also marked head coach Maggie Johnson's first victory at the helm of the Highlanders.

In the top of the first, Radford sent 10 batters to the plate and scored seven runs to grab early command of the game. A leadoff walk and first-pitch stolen base Emily Naegele set the tone for the inning. Classmate Casey Burns stroked a single back up the middle to push across the first run of the game. She would come around on a RBI double by junior Jessie Hutchens. A two-run single by senior Morgan Eye, along with a pair of RBI groundouts and a wild pitch plated the other five runs.

It would be plenty of support for Walters (1-1), who allowed an unearned run on two hits with a strikeout, over four innings for her first collegiate win. After a hit-by-pitch and a one-out single, she settled down getting the first of two Highlander double plays as freshman Whitney Davis picked the ground, tagged third and rifled a bullet across the field for the third out.

Walters retired nine straight before consecutive errors and a bloop RBI single, spoiled the shutout. Reid started the fifth and provided three frames of shutout relief (two hits).

Following the first, Radford's offense only recorded two hits, one of which was a RBI single by Davis in the third. She became the fourth Highlander rookie to record an RBI on their first collegiate hit. She finished with two RBI.

Six different Highlanders recorded hits and three registered stolen bases. Davis and Eye each knocked in two runs.

South Carolina 9, Radford 0 (5)

Dana Hathorn and Chelsea Hawkins knocked in three runs apiece and Audrey Broyles tossed a three-hit shutout as South Carolina defeated Radford, 9-0, in five innings.

Broyles (3-1) struck out two, walked one and hit a batter.

An RBI double by Hathorn gave South Carolina an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

The Highlanders had early opportunities to even and take the lead, but nice defensive plays by South Carolina ended the threats. With runners on the second and third, Eye roped a ball to deep left that was snagged over the shoulder by Alaynie Page to end the bottom of the first. An inning later and a runner on second and two outs, a soft liner to short was misplayed. An aggressive Jessica Agee, who singled, tried to score from second, but was thrown at home after a quick recovery by the shortstop.

The Gamecocks added three in the third. After loading the bases, a one-out RBI single by Hawkins made it 2-0. A ground ball to short was induced on the ensuing at bat, but the throw home hit the runner in the back of the helmet, allowing two runs to cross the plate for 4-0 lead.

A five-run fifth, highlighted by a two-run home run by Hawkins, came just after Radford wasted a leadoff triple by Eye in the bottom of the fourth.

Jackie Jenkins suffered the defeat. She went three-plus innings, allowing four runs, two earned, on four hits. She struck out one, walked one and hit four batters.

Hutchens, Agee and Eye recorded hits for Radford. Samie Garcia, Page, Hathorn and Hawkins recorded two hits apiece for the Gamecocks.

Radford hits the road next weekend, taking part in the Bulldog Invitational hosted by Georgia, March 1-3. Along with the host and 13^th-ranked Bulldogs, the Highlanders will face Indiana State and North Dakota State. The opener will be at 12:30 p.m. on Friday against the Sycamores.

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