SOFTBALL SET TO HOST CHARLESTON SOUTHERN

SATURDAY'S CONTEST FEATURED ON ESPN3

LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO (Friday) | ESPN3 (Saturday)

Radford looks to rebound from a Big South road loss on Wednesday and snap a four-game slide when it hosts Charleston Southern for a three-game league series on March 29 and 30. First pitch for Friday's twinbill is set for 2:00 p.m., while Saturday's single game is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and will be featured on ESPN3.

LAST TIME OUT: The Highlanders (8-18, 1-1 Big South) dropped an 8-4 contest at Longwood on Wednesday… The contest featured three lead changes and two ties through the first five innings, but the Lancers scored four in the sixth to build a five-run lead and take control of the contest… Four Highlanders recorded two hits as they registered 11 as a team… Jessica Agee extended her career-best five-game hitting streak with a pair of hits, including an RBI double… RU left nine runners on base and scored three of its four runs with two outs.

RU TIDBITS: Radford's 11 hits against Longwood produced the squad's fifth double-digit hit performance this season… This will be the Highlanders first Big South weekend series after playing two single midweek games… Since 2008, RU is 76-16 (.833) in regular season Big South games and has won 30 of 32 series... Charleston Southern is the last team to take a series from the Highlanders (2011), which at the time snapped a conference record 21 straight league series triumphs… Agee is batting .533 (8-15) with two doubles, a home run and six RBI during her five-game hitting streak… Agee, Becky Mantel and Morgan Eye are all batting above .300, led by Mantel's .324 average… Mantel, who has reached base safely in 12 of her last 13 games, also leads the club with 10 runs, 23 hits, 15 walks and a .473 on base percentage… She also has a team-best six outfield assists with five of them resulting in an out at home plate… Freshman Nia Chiles is batting .474 (9-19) over her last seven games (five starts).

ESPN NOTES: Saturday's ESPN3 game will mark the sixth time Radford makes an appearance on ESPN's family of networks… It will be the Highlanders' second regular-season home appearance and third overall ESPN broadcast from RU Softball Field… Radford is 4-0 on ESPNU (regular season 2007-10) and 0-1 on ESPN3 (2011 Big South Championship Game).

THE BUCCANEERS: Charleston Southern (6-26, 0-6) comes in after splitting a home doubleheader with cross town rival College of Charleston on Tuesday, earning the win in the nightcap, 6-4, and snapping a 10-game slide… The Buccaneers will be playing their first road conference series having been swept at home by Winthrop and Longwood… Marci Christian and Stephanie Sbardella pace the offense with .358 and .337 batting averages, respectively… Christian has a team-leading 34 hits, seven home runs and 23 RBI, while Sbardella has scored a team-best 21 runs with four doubles, five home runs and 19 RBI… Jennifer Giles has seen most of the work in the circle, tossing 138.2 innings on the season with 79 strikeouts and a 5.00 ERA.

THE SERIES: These will be games 65-67 in the series… The Highlanders hold a 41-23 advantage after taking 2-of-3 in Charleston last season… RU is 14-8 at home against CSU, winning the last 10 meetings… The last time the Buccaneers won in Radford was a 3-1 victory in 2003… This is the first meeting at RU Softball field since 2010 season when Radford swept all three contests… RU is 4-3 against CSU the last two years after winning 16 straight between 2006 and 2010.

UP NEXT: Radford begins April with a conference doubleheader at Liberty on April 3 at 2:00 p.m.

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