SOFTBALL EDGED BY LONGWOOD, 3-1, IN REGULAR SEASON FINALE

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FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood (38-14, 17-6 Big South) scored a pair of unearned runs to break a 1-1 tie and defeat Radford, 3-1 in the season finale for both teams on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon at Lancer Field.

Radford (22-28, 14-10) heads to Conway, S.C. for the 2014 Big South Tournament, May 8-11 at CCU Softball Field on the campus of Coastal Carolina. The third-seeded Highlanders open play against sixth-seeded Presbyterian, Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

The Highlanders were once again stymied by Longwood's Elizabeth McCarthy. She did not allow an earned run on two hits with eight strikeouts and one walks.

For the third straight start, Rachael Walters was unlucky loser. She held the conference's best hitting team to four hits and one earned run with four strikeouts and four walks, three pitching very carefully to Megan Baltzell.

A costly error on a one-out sac bunt in the fifth led to Longwood's second and eventual game-winning. A dropped throw allowed the runner to reach and the runner to advance all the way to third. Emily Murphy took advantage, plating Baltzell with a sac fly to right, which would have been the third out.

Two more errors led to an insurance run, pushing the Lancers' lead to 3-1 in the sixth. In the top half of the inning, senior Jessie Hutchens was robbed of the game-tying home run by centerfielder Katie Shinrock.

A two-out RBI single by Jamie Barbour put the Lancers on top 1-0 in the second.

The Highlanders evened the ball game at 1-1 in the fourth. Senior Jessie Hutchens beat out a slow roller to the pitcher and went to third when the throw sailed into foul territory. Freshman Julie Gardner dropped down a perfect bunt to plate Hutchens with tying run.

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