SOFTBALL RALLIES TWICE TO SWEEP MOUNTAINEERS

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RADFORD, Va. – The rally monkeys were in full effect on Thursday as Radford Softball needed one comeback in each contest to earn a doubleheader sweep over Appalachian State on chilly afternoon at RU Softball Stadium. The Highlanders (19-20) improved to 8-0 at home with 3-2 and 4-1 victories.

Radford scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to edge the Mountaineers (17-25) in the opener. Senior Jessie Hutchens and sophomore Whitney Davis hit back-to-back two-out home runs in the fifth and sophomore Rachael Walters earned the complete game win in the night cap.

Walters went 2-0 on the day as she picked up the game-one win with 1.2 innings of shutout relief.

G1 – Radford 3, Appalachian State 2

Radford scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to pull out a 3-2 win over Appalachian State in the opener. With no outs, sophomore Becky Mantel was plunked with the bases loaded to walk off with the victory.

Following a pair of walks to start the rally, junior Mackenzie Blackwell singled down the leftfield line knocking in freshman Kayla Bishton with RU's first run of the game. Sophomore Megan Honaker loaded the bases with an infield single. The Highlanders evened the contest when pinch runner Ashleigh Harris just beat the throw home on a grounder to short setting up Mantel's game-winning hit by pitch.

The rally was made possible by Walters' relief outing. She ended a sixth-inning rally and did not surrender a run in the final 1.2 innings to earn the win. The lefty allowed a hit and struck out two.

Mantel was hit two more times, moving her season total to 26 in game one. The Highlanders were held to just four hits, including a double by freshman Summer Robinson. Freshman Abby Morrow provided a strong start in the circle, allowing a run on five hits with two strikeouts and zero walks.

The Mountaineers recorded nine hits, eight of which were singles, and they left seven runners on base. Cara Parker was the only player with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with a run.

The Mountaineers pushed across single runs in the fifth and sixth innings on seven hits to take a 2-0 lead. An RBI infield by Caroline Rogers put the first run on the board. Lindsay Loudermilk doubled the lead with a RBI single in the sixth.

Shivaun Laneros suffered the complete game loss, allowing three runs on four hits with five punchouts and three walks, all in the seventh.

G2 – Radford 4, Appalachian State 1

Back-to-back two-out fifth inning home runs by Hutchens and Davis, along with a strong complete game effort from Walters lifted Radford to a 4-1 victory in the night cap.

Trailing 1-0 in the fifth, a leadoff walk followed by back-to-back one-out stolen bases by Honaker put the tying run on third. However, she was gunned out at home trying to score on a grounder to short. Hutchens put the Highlanders ahead for good as she sent the first pitch deep over the left field fence for a three-run home run. Three pitches later, Davis laced a solo shot to center for the final run of the game. It was Hutchens' team-leading 14th long ball of the season and Davis' eighth.

Walters retired the Mountaineers quickly in the sixth and after getting into a bit of trouble with consecutive singles to start the seventh, she got a line drive double play and a grounder to third for the final out.

Walters scattered six hits, struck out four and did not walk a batter. Radford's pitching staff did not issue a walk in 14 innings of work in the two contests.

Mantel, who was hit for the third time, was 2-for-2 with a run scored. Hutchens knocked in three and Davis added a run and RBI. Hutchens moved her RBI total to 41, becoming the first Highlander to reach 40 RBI since Nichole Beall's 47 in 2011.

Radford continues its eight-game homestand on Tuesday, April 22 hosting Big South leader Coastal Carolina in a doubleheader starting at 4:00 p.m.

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