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Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
Mantel vs. Campbell
3
RADFORD RADFORD 9-19
5
Winner Liberty LIBERTY 18-20
RADFORD RADFORD
9-19
3
Final
5
Liberty LIBERTY
18-20
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
RADFORD RADFORD 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 3 4 3
Liberty LIBERTY 2 0 3 0 0 0 X 5 6 4

W: BALL, Chandler (12-7) L: Weddle, Kelsey (2-5)

7
RADFORD RADFORD 9-20, 4-6 BSC
8
Winner Liberty LIBERTY 19-20, 8-6 BSC
RADFORD RADFORD
9-20, 4-6 BSC
7
Final
8
Liberty LIBERTY
19-20, 8-6 BSC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
RADFORD RADFORD 2 0 3 0 0 1 1 7 7 1
Liberty LIBERTY 0 2 2 0 4 0 X 8 10 3

W: BALL, Chandler (13-7) L: Asimakopoulos, Taylor (3-3)

Game Recap: Softball |

SOFTBALL’S LATE RALLY FALLS SHORT AT LIBERTY, DROPS DOUBLEHEADER

LYNCHBURG, Va. ---- Radford dropped a pair of Big South Conference games at Liberty on Tuesday night at the Liberty Softball Stadium in Lynchburg, Va., by a combined three runs, 5-3, 8-7. Becky Mantel reached base eight times on the day, scoring two runs.
 
"We need to clean up our play," said head coach Maggie White. "We cannot look at so many strikes and need to follow the offensive plan. In the circle, we need to continue to get ahead of batters. Overall, we must communicate and stay sharp on defense."
 
Summer Robinson laced a double into right-center field in game one for her fourth double in as many outings, bringing her season total to six. Mantel extended her on-base streak to 15 games after reaching on an error in the top of the first in game one and getting hit by a pitch in game two. Mantel reached base eight of nine times she was up in the lineup in the doubleheader. Whitney Davis notched her team-high sixth home run of the season, clearing the wall in centerfield to drive in three runs. Davis had 5 RBI, all coming in the second part of the doubleheader. Maggie Rowe's lone hit on the day landed on the hill outside the right-field wall. Rowe has five homers this year.
 
"Becky had quite a day," White said. "She is a spark and that is why she is in the leadoff spot. We need the top of lineup to stay consistent and drive in runs when on they are on bases."
 
Kelsey Weddle was given the ball to start game one against the Flames (19-20, 8-6 BSC). Weddle pitched her fourth complete game of the year, giving up two earned runs on six hits. Taylor Asimakopoulos pitched 4.1 innings in the start of game two, giving up seven runs on seven hits. Weddle came in as relief for Asimakopoulos, surrendering one run on three hits in the additional 1.2 innings of work.
 
Five of Radford's (9-20, 4-6 BSC) 10 runs in the doubleheader came in the third inning of play. Despite posting 10 runs on the day, the Highlanders stranded eight runners in game one and 11 more in game two, setting a new season high. In the day's first game, the Radford defense held Liberty to just one base runner from the third inning on.
 
The series finale will commence at 2 p.m. on Wednesday. The game can be streamed on Flame TV at the link here.
 
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.
 
:: Game One ::
Liberty 5 :: Radford 3
 
Liberty struck first with two out in the bottom of the first inning. Kelby Allen reached on a hard hit ball rocketed back to the circle. After stealing second, Tori Zavodny connected on a pitch for her sixth home run of the season to put the Flames up 2-0.
 
Robinson led the top of the third with her fourth double in the past four games. In the next at bat, Nia Chiles reached looking at ball four to bring Mantel to the plate. Already having extended her on-base streak to 14 straight games in the first, Mantel drove Robinson in on a single hit to right field. Chiles came in to score a few pitches later on a throwing error charged to the second baseman.
 
Liberty reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the frame on a two-RBI single by Madison Kotchey to right-center field. Both base runners scored by Kotchey reached on errors. The Highlanders' deficit grew to three on a single by Jamie Crisp to score Kotchey, making it 5-2 after three innings.
 
With two out in the seventh, Rowe hit her fifth home run of the season to pull the Highlanders within two.
 
:: Game Two ::
Liberty 8 :: Radford 7
 
Radford opened the game's scoring in the top of the first frame on a two out-single by Davis that scored a pair of runs. Mantel led off with a hit-by-pitch before Casey Burns reached on a single hit to right field. A catcher's interference call against the Flames loaded the bases for the Highlanders with two out. Davis sent the first pitch thrown to her right back to centerfield to bring around Mantel and Burns.
 
Liberty put itself on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second with an RBI-double off the bat of Jamie Crisp. A walk and single put runners on the base path for the Flames before Crisp stepped to the plate.  A second run came across on a wild pitch thrown into the dirt.
 
Davis broke the 2-2 tie in the top of the third with her sixth home run of the season. Burns led the side off by reaching on an error at third base. Kayla Bishton put two runners on for Davis after being awarded first base on a walk. On a 1-2 count, Davis drove a ball over the 220-foot sign in dead centerfield.
 
Kelby Allen cut into the Highlanders' edge in the bottom of the third on a single. Alexia Taylor opened the side with a single to short before Megan Robinson singled down the left line setting up the RBI opportunity for Allen. A walk tallied one for the Flames. Radford's defense limited the damage in the third with back-to-back groundouts played back to home to keep additional runs from coming across.
 
Liberty took its first lead of the game in the bottom of the fifth on a three-RBI double with one out. Two walks and a single loaded the bases for the Flames with Taylor coming to the plate. A fourth run in the inning came in on a sac-fly hit out to left field.
 
Bishton cut into the three-run deficit in the top of the sixth on a line drive just over the outreached glove of the shortstop that scored Mantel from second. Mantel reached on her second walk of the game. Through six innings, Mantel was hit by a pitch twice and walked twice.
 
Mantel pulled the Highlanders closer in the top of the seventh on a two-out double that scored Chiles from first. Chiles reached on an error charged to the shortstop.
 
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