Softball 5/1/2015 11:04:00 AM

SOFTBALL CONCLUDES REGULAR SEASON AT HOME AGAINST LONGWOOD

Radford (12-33, 7-12 BSC) :: Longwood (26-23, 17-4 BSC)
Saturday, May 2, 2015 :: 1:00 p.m./3:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 3, 2015 :: 1:00 p.m.
Radford Softball Stadium :: Radford, Va.
Live Stats (Game 1) :: Live Stats (Game 2) :: Live Stats (Game 3)
Live Stream (Games 1 &2)

Radford Highlanders (12-33, 7-12 Big South)
Roster | Schedule | Game Notes | Season Stats | Twitter | Instagram

RADFORD, Va. ---- Radford wraps up its 2015 regular season at home against Big South foe Longwood. First pitch of Saturday's doubleheader is at 1 p.m., with Sunday's finale kicking off at 1 p.m.

The Highlanders will honor seniors Mackenzie Blackwell and Kelsey Weddle over the weekend. The two have combined for 173 appearances and 108 starts in their careers donning the Red and White.

Blackwell stepped foot in Radford in 2011 after a successful muli-sport prep career at Brunswick Academy. The Dolphin, Va., native took over her role as the starting left fielder as a junior with 40 starts in 49 appearances. As a senior, Blackwell is one of four Highlanders to have a double, triple and home run to her name. She has seven extra base hits in her final campaign and has started every game as a senior.

Weddle came to Radford after compiling a 39-9 record in two seasons at Walters State Community College, where she guided the team to the 2013 National Junior College Athletic Association World Series. The Meadowview, Va., native made her first appearance as a Highlander in 2014, tossing two innings of shutout relief with three strikeouts against Charlotte. Weddle has paced the Red and White with five complete games this season and 94.1 innings of work. She had a career day at the Radford Softball Stadium on April 18, holding a high-powered Winthrop team to just one hit in seven innings, striking out five batters in the contest.

Becky Mantel had three hits last time out at UNCG, highlighted by her seventh home run of the season coming in game one. Mantel was 3-3 in game one and was hit by a pitch, her 18th of the season.
Nia Chiles notched her seventh extra base hit of the campaign in game one at UNCG on a double hit to centerfield. Whitney Davis would score Chiles on a single. Davis and Megan Honaker both extended their hitting streaks to five games with hits in both contests.

At Gardner-Webb last weekend, Alex Lang, in as a pinch hitter, notched the first homer of her career to put Radford ahead by one in the seventh inning of this weekend's series finale. The Red and White had three home runs in total in the second part of the doubleheader. Mantel had the game's first, clearing the fence in the game's first at bat for her sixth of the year.

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.

The Forecast

10448

               Scouting the Lancers
Longwood comes into the weekend already clinching the 2015 Big South Regular Season Championship. The Lancers are 17-4 in Big South play and 26-23 overall, having played the likes of South Carolina, Cal, N.C. State, Missouri, North Carolina and Virginia. Longwood paces the league in RPI, ranking No. 83. Megan Baltzell leads the Lancers at the plate in hits, doubles, home runs, RBI and batting average. Baltzell is hitting .398 with 22 homers and 57 RBI. In the circle, Elizabeth McCarthy has pitched 189 innings with a 3.44 ERA. McCarthy has 19 wins to her name and 175 strikeouts.

               Radford vs. Longwood: The Series
Radford holds a 15-14 advantage over Longwood, dating back to 1993. The Highlanders dropped the first two outings to the Lancers before downing Longwood in 1995, 11-4. The win in 1995 sparked a five-game win streak for Radford, its longest against the Lancers in the series.

Longwood is currently on a seven-game win streak against Radford dating back to 2013. Last time the Highlanders hosted the Lancers was in 2013, in which Radford fell 9-1 and 12-3.

Last year, Radford dropped four contests to Longwood. After being swept on the road, the Highlanders were knocked out of the Big South Conference Tournament by the Lancers, 6-4.

                 Promotions
:: Saturday ::
Alumni Day – All Radford Alumni are invited back to the Softball Stadium to cheer on the Highlanders
Faculty/Staff Day – All Radford Faculty and Staff are invited to cheer on the Highlanders and will be entered into a raffle with campus ID cards upon entering the stadium
Little League Day – All little leagues are encouraged to wear their uniforms to the game and have a post-game meet and greet and autograph session
Montgomery County Parks & Rec Day

:: Sunday ::
Senior Day – Come early to the game as we celebrate the accomplishments of our graduating seniors
Softball Bingo – Play Softball Bingo during the game to win some great prizes
Special Olympics Day
Wythe County Parks & Rec Day

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#8 Mackenzie Blackwell: OF; 5' 7"; Senior; R/R

#7 Nia Chiles: UT; 5' 11"; Junior; L/R

#15 Whitney Davis: 3B; 5' 11"; Junior; R/R

#1 Megan Honaker: C/UT; 5' 3"; Junior; L/R

#12 Becky Mantel: OF; 5' 4"; Junior; R/R

#11 Kelsey Weddle: P; 5' 10"; Senior; R/R

#14 Alex Lang: IF; 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#8 Mackenzie Blackwell
: 5' 7"; Senior; R/R
: OF

#7 Nia Chiles
: 5' 11"; Junior; L/R
: UT

#15 Whitney Davis
: 5' 11"; Junior; R/R
: 3B

#1 Megan Honaker
: 5' 3"; Junior; L/R
: C/UT

#12 Becky Mantel
: 5' 4"; Junior; R/R
: OF

#11 Kelsey Weddle
: 5' 10"; Senior; R/R
: P

#14 Alex Lang
: 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R
: IF