Softball 4/6/2013 7:42:00 PM

JOHNSON EARNS 100TH CAREER WIN; SOFTBALL SPLITS AT FIRST PLACE COASTAL

BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2 MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Behind a five-hit complete game outing from freshman Rachael Walters and three home runs, Radford defeated Coastal Carolina, 4-1, in game one and split a doubleheader with the first-place Chanticleers (23-14, 10-3 Big South) on Saturday afternoon from Carolina Forest High School. Coastal won game two, 5-1.

The victory gave Highlanders (13-20, 6-3) skipper Maggie Johnson her 100^th career win as a head coach.

Following a first inning run in the opener, Walters scattered those five hit over the final six innings. She did not surrender more than one hit in an inning and limited the Chanticleers to a pair of runners in scoring position the entire contest. Walters struck out five and walked two, improving to 5-0 in league play and 9-6 overall.

Junior Jessie Hutchens, freshman Becky Mantel and freshman Emily Naegele went deep for the Highlanders. Hutchens and Mantel recorded two hits apiece.

Hutchens' lofted a two-run home run in the first inning to give the Highlanders an early 2-0 lead. It was her team-leading seventh of the season.

The Chanticleers answered in the bottom half of the frame as a leadoff walk, stolen base and groundout led to a sac fly by Kory Hayden.

Radford wasted little time getting that run back as Mantel laced a 1-2 pitch over the leftcenterfield fens with two outs for a 3-1 lead.

Naegele extended Radford's advantage to 4-1 with a solo long ball off the top of the leftfield fence.

Kiana Quolas suffered the defeat as she went the distance. She allowed five hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Jessie Winans recorded two of Coastal's five hits.

In game two, Ashley Bagwell tossed a three-hit, 12-strikeout complete game and the Chanticleers scored four two-out runs to earn the split with a 5-1 victory.

Bagwell did not allow an earned run, walked one and allowed just five Radford base runners.

Senior Jackie Jenkins suffered the defeat despite allowing just four hits in her complete game effort. She surrendered four earned runs and struck out one, but walked four and hit a batter.

Senior Morgan Eye, sophomore Hilari Hopkins and senior Ryndee Ruch recorded singles for the Highlanders. Hopkins also had a stellar defensive game at third base making several diving stops as she recorded five putouts and two assists without an error.

Cacia Pierre recorded two of Coastal four hits and knocked in a run, while Morgan Noad registered two RBI on a home run.

Pierre golfed a two-out RBI single into center to give Coastal a 1-0 lead after the first inning. Once again, Bri Chiusano led off the frame with a walk and moved to second on a grounder and third on a deep fly to center.

Eye's two-out RBI single evened the ballgame at 1-1 in the fourth. With one out, Hopkins reached after the throw on her strikeout hit her in the head, allowing her to reach second. With two outs, Eye dumped a single into right for the equalizer.

Coastal regained the lead with three runs in the bottom half of the frame to grab a 4-1 lead. The first on a sac fly by Sara Rasley, followed by a two-run, two out home run by Noad.

A misplayed liner with two outs in the fifth added an insurance run for the Chanticleers.

Radford had an opportunity in the sixth to get back into the game with a pair of singles, but Bagwell recorded a pair of punchouts to end the threat.

The teams wrap up the series tomorrow at 1:00 p.m.

Print Friendly Version