LIVE STATS |
GAME 1 VIDEO |
GAME 2 VIDEO
Coming off a Big South series sweep in its home opening weekend, Radford Softball will have a quick turnaround as it entertains in-state rival Liberty in a league series at RU Softball Stadium on April 8 and 9. The squads will play a doubleheader on Tuesday starting at 4:00 p.m. with the series finale at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
Tuesday's doubleheader will be streamed live and is free on the Big South Sports Network.
Last Time Out – Radford opened up its newly renovated stadium this past weekend, sweeping Presbyterian, by a combined 23-0 score (6-0, 6-0 and 11-0)… RU's pitching staff held the Blue Hose to just five hits in 19 innings, while the offense recorded 24 hits and hit six home runs for the second straight league series… The Highlanders started with a pair of 6-0 shutouts on Saturday… In the opener, freshman Abby Morrow tossed six innings of 3-hit, 9-strikeout ball without a walk and RU hit three home runs… In the nightcap, Walters tossed a one-hit gem and RU hit two more home runs… Walters retired the side in six innings and only two batters reached base all game for her first collegiate shutout… Overall, sophomore Becky Mantel (2 HR, 3 RBI, 4 R) and freshman Kayla Bishton (HR, 3 RBI, 2 R) each went 4-for-6 in the twinbill… In the finale, RU scored a season-high 11 runs, sophomore Whitney Davis hit a grand slam and matched a single-game record with six RBI and Walters allowed one hit over 4.1 innings.
Highlander Bites – Radford's shutout sweep was the first since the 2011 season in a home series against Winthrop… It also marked the first three shutouts of the season… Morrow matched a career-high with nine strikeouts in game one… Jessie Hutchens has reached base safely in 16 straight games and 29 of 31 this season… She leads RU in hits (30), average (.345), runs (21), HR (8), RBI (21), slugging (.667) and OBP (.464) … Davis went 9-for-18 with 2 HR and 9 RBI in five games last week… She became the fourth Highlander to record 6 RBI in one game, the first since 2011 (Hannah Ojeda)… Mantel was hit two more times last weekend, tying Kristen Shifflett's (36) career mark; She has 16, four shy of her single season total of a season ago… Radford has scored 47 runs in its last two home Big South series… The team was plunked five more times last weekend and has been hit 35 times this season, three shy of the single-season mark.
Big South POW – Walters was tabbed Big South Pitcher of the Week following her performance last week… She held Presbyterian to no runs and two hits in 11.1 innings of work and allowed just three earned runs in three starts last week… She twirled a one-hit complete game shutout in game two in which she struck out five and faced just two batters over the minimum… At one point, she retired 19 straight batters starting in the fourth of game two and ending with one out in the fourth of game three… In the series finale, she struck out five more in 4.1 innings and allowed one hit and one walk…. For the week she held opponents to a .148 batting average.
Big South Rankings - Jessie Hutchens ranks fourth in slugging (.667), fifth in home runs (8) and OBP (.464) and ninth in batting average (.345)... Freshman Julie Gardner ranks second in walks (20) and eighth in OBP (.440)... Sophomore Rachael Walters ranks seventh (79) in strikeouts, tied for eighth in appearances (22) and 10th in opponent's average (.242)… Abby Morrow is tied for fifth in appearances (24) eighth (78) in strikeouts... Morrow and Walters are two of five pitchers with two saves… As a team, Radford ranks third in home runs (30) despite playing the fewest games (31)… It's pitching staff ranks third in strikeouts per seven innings (6.33) and fourth in fewest walks (2.19).
Big South History – Radford swept Presbyterian at home last weekend and has won 5-of-6 in league play… The Highlanders did not allow a run in the series, matching their 2011 performance against Winthrop… Competing in its 23rd season of Big South play, Radford is 189-132 in league games, 112-38 since 2006… The Highlanders are 36-7 in conference weekends since the league introduced three-game series in 2007… They won a league-record 21 straight series between 2008 & 2011.
The Lady Flames – Liberty was swept in a Big South series at league-leader Coastal Carolina last weekend… Overall, the Lady Flames have dropped four straight after winning two in a row, including their first league win (4-2) in their series finale against Charleston Southern… Katie Zavodny bats .333 with a team-best 40 hits, three triples, 25 runs scored 18 stolen bases… Megan Robinson has recorded a team-high seven home runs with Kelby Allen knocking in a team-best 21 runs, along with six doubles… Annah Jo Brittingham leads the pitching staff in appearances (29), starts (20), innings (121.2) and strikeouts (62), while Alyssa Dimartino has three wins.
The Series – Winning five of the last six meetings, Radford is 45-26 all time against Liberty, including 24-9 at home… Since 2004, RU is 17-1 at home versus LU, winning the last seven… The Lady Flames' only win over that stretch was during the 2009 Big South Tournament… Won 13 straight regular season home games… Liberty's last regular season triumph at RU Softball Field was in 2002, winning both ends of a doubleheader.
Up Next – The Highlanders head to Charleston Southern for a conference series on April 12 and 13.Â
