SOFTBALL SNAPS SKID WITH 11-8 WIN AT GARDNER-WEBB

BOX SCORE BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Powered by a 14-hit outburst and six-run fifth, Radford jumped out to an 11-2 lead, but had to hold off a late Gardner-Webb rally to earn an 11-8 win and take the series finale on Saturday from Varsity Field.

After a two-out, two-run single cut the lead to three (11-8) in the sixth, senior Jackie Jenkins came in and shut the door on the Bulldogs (13-29, 8-16 Big South) with 1.1 of shutout relief to earn her first save of the season, helping the Highlanders (17-32, 10-11) end a nine-game losing streak.

Freshman Emily Naegele was 2-for-2 with a home run, career-high four RBI and two runs scored as the Radford matched a season-high in hits for the fourth time this season. In addition, senior Morgan Eye (went 3-for-4 with two RBI and senior Jessica Agee homered and knocked in three. It was Agee's fifth on the year.

Eye gave Radford an early 1-0 lead in the second. With Naegele on second after walk and passed ball, Eye laced a one-out RBI single to center. It was the first hit with runners in scoring position in the series for the Highlanders.

“It was encouraging to get on the board early and build momentum through the late innings,” said head coach Maggie Johnson. “It was important to leave this series with a win going into the last week of regular season play.”

The Highlanders extended their lead to 3-0 with four singles in the third. The runs came across on back-to-back base knocks by junior Jessie Hutchens and Naegele.

GWU answered in the bottom half of the frame. A two-run home run by Samantha Meenaghan that barely cleared the short porch in left, cut RU's advantage to 3-2.

Radford broke open a one-run contest with a six-run, two-out rally in the fifth. Following a two-out walk by Hutchens, Naegele, who fouled off several pitches, lined a two-run HR down the rightfield line for her ninth of the season, matching Hutchens for the team lead. Two more singles set up Agee's three-run blast to right center. Senior Ryndee Ruch capped off the scoring with a RBI single, the sixth straight two-out hit of the frame. Ruch finished 2-for-4 with a run and RBI.

A sac fly by Naegele and a RBI single by Eye added two big insurance runs in the top of the sixth.

A three-run home run by Elizabeth Williams and a two-out, two-run single by Morgan Baker sandwiched around a wild pitch cut the Highlanders lead to 11-8. Following the Baker hit, the sixth of the inning for GWU, Jenkins induced a fly out to stop any further damage.

In the seventh, the Bulldogs put runners on first and second (single, error) and sent the tying run to the plate, but Jenkins' second pitch was grounded to third and Hutchens stepped on the bag and fired across the diamond for game-ending double play.

“Jackie did a nice job of closing the game and we look to continue to come together as the tournament approaches.” closed Johnson.

Freshman Rachael Walters picked up the win in five innings of work. She allowed two runs on five hits with three strikeouts and zero walks.

GWU finished with 12 hits, six in the sixth, and was led by Tayler Pridgen (2-3, 2 runs) and Kellie Beres (2-4, 1 R).

Radford steps out of conference one last time on Wednesday, May 1 when it travels to Boone, N.C. for a doubleheader against Appalachian State.

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