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Asimakopoulos vs. CSU
4
Charleston Southern CSU 20-14, 2-2 BSC
8
Winner RADFORD RADFORD 7-16, 3-3 BSC
Charleston Southern CSU
20-14, 2-2 BSC
4
Final
8
RADFORD RADFORD
7-16, 3-3 BSC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Charleston Southern CSU 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 4 7 2
RADFORD RADFORD 1 0 0 7 0 0 X 8 3 2

W: Asimakopoulos, Taylor (3-1) L: GANDARA, Cheyenne (13-8)

Game Recap: Softball |

SEVEN-RUN INNING POWERS RADFORD TO 8-4 VICTORY OVER CHARLESTON SOUTHERN

RADFORD, Va. ---- A seven-run fourth inning fueled Radford's 8-4 victory over Charleston Southern on Saturday at the Radford Softball Stadium in the opening game of the series. Taylor Asimakopoulos earned the win from the circle, pitching four innings and holding the Bucs to one run.
 
"It is always good to come home, and we always play well at home," said head coach Maggie White. "We stuck to the offensive game plan and were disciplined enough to push runs across."
 
Summer Robinson, Megan Honaker and Casey Burns all notched hits in the contest. Burns led the Highlanders (7-16, 3-3 BSC) with three RBI, highlighted by her eighth double of the season to score Honaker in the fourth.
 
Asimakopoulos earned her third win of the year in the start, pitching four innings and holding Charleston Southern (20-14, 2-2 BSC) to three hits and no earned runs. Tiffany Brown threw 2.1 innings in relief before Kelsey Weddle entered the circle to close the game in the seventh. Weddle recorded the game's final two outs and gave up one hit.
 
"Taylor (Asimakopoulos) has learned how to be very consistent," White said. "She struggled later and we made the change at the right time. Tiffany (Brown) did a great job and Kelsey (Weddle) shut it down. It was a good team effort from the pitching staff."
 
Entering the bottom of the fourth inning knotted at 1-1, Radford broke the game wide open with seven runs. The flurry started with a double off the bat of Burns to score Honaker from second. It was Burns' 10th extra base hit of the year and Honaker's 11th run scored, a new single-season career best. A hit by pitch and error on the catcher on a called strike three allowed the bases to be loaded with no outs. An ensuing hit by pitch and walk scored two more for the Red and White. Robinson brought Whitney Davis home on a single past the shortstop. The inning's third hit batter tallied another run, along with another walk and fielding error. Radford scored seven runs on just three hits in the frame.
 
The Bucs cut into the seven-run deficit in the fifth with a solo home run by Brittany McPherson. Charleston Southern brought the game to within four in the sixth with two more runs. Marci Christian doubled to left to score Brook Richardson, who led off the inning with a walk. Stevi Johnson then doubled to left-center field to bring across Christian.
 
The Bucs put two runners on base in the top of the seventh with one out before Weddle came in to close out the game. After striking out the first batter she faced, Weddle surrendered a single up the middle to load the bases. The game ended on a fly ball hit to Mackenzie Blackwell in left field.
 
The Highlanders took the game's first lead, scoring one run in the bottom of the opening inning. Mantel led off with a walk and then advanced to second on a sac bunt laid down by Honaker. Mantel stole her second base of the season to reach third before being brought home on a squeeze by Burns.
 
The Bucs tied the game in the second on a single hit to left-centerfield by Amanda Matsumoto.
 
Radford and Charleston Southern wrap up the three-game series on Sunday, March 29, with a doubleheader at the Radford Softball Stadium starting at 11 a.m. Both games will be streamed on the Big South Network with Rick Watson, the voice of the Highlanders, on the call.
 
For the latest news on the Radford softball team, follow the Highlanders on Twitter at @RadfordSoftball. To keep up with all Radford athletics, follow @RU_Athletics on Twitter.
 
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