SOFTBALL JUMPS OUT TO FAST START BUT UNABLE TO HOLD OFF LONGWOOD'S BATS

Sunday, May 3

RADFORD

1:00 PM

Radford University

12-36, 7-15

Longwood

29-23, 20-4

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Longwood	0	0	3	0	1	5	1	10	12	2
RADFORD	2	0	2	0	0	0	1	5	7	2

SOFTBALL JUMPS OUT TO FAST START BUT UNABLE TO HOLD OFF LONGWOOD'S BATS

5/3/2015 3:26:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

RADFORD, Va. ---- Radford took an early lead against the league's top-seeded Longwood, but a big sixth inning for the Lancers was too much for the Highlanders to overcome on Sunday at the Radford Softball Stadium, falling 10-5. Radford will regroup for the Big South Conference Tournament on May 7th in Buies Creek, N.C.

"At this point of the season our focus changes to tournament play and coming out with a clean slate ready to compete," said head coach Maggie White. "Tournament time is when you elevate your play and fight harder than you have before, which is what our focus will be in preparation for next week."

Casey Burns paced the Highlanders with two hits and a pair of RBI. Burns notched her 14th double of the season to lead the Red and White in the category. Maggie Rowe and Mackenzie Blackwell tallied an RBI each in the contest. The Red and White combined for seven hits.

Kelsey Weddle was given the start in the circle on Senior Day, throwing 5.1 innings. Weddle gave up nine hits and seven runs to the 31 batters she faced. Tiffany Brown saw two more runs come across in her 1.2 innings of work.

Radford opened the game's scoring with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Becky Mantel and Megan Honaker led off with back-to-back infield singles before Burns laced a single into the outfield to score one runner. Blackwell brought home the second run on a groundout the short stop.

Longwood battled to knot the game at two in the top of the third after back-to-back throwing errors allowed two Lancers to come home. The runners reached on a double and a walk. Emily Murphy gave Longwood its first lead of the day, 3-2, on a solo home run hit over the left field wall.

Burns pulled the Highlanders even in the third with her 14th double of the year. Her shot to right-center field scored Mantel, who reach on the 77th hit by pitch of her career. Radford regained the lead on an error at shortstop, allowing Blackwell to reach first safely and Burns make the trip across home plate.

After a pair of free bases and a wild pitch in the fifth inning, the Lancers knotted the game on a fielder's choice hit by Taylor Hedrick.

With a pair of base runners on, Megan Baltzell gave Longwood the lead once again on a three-run homer skied over right field. Consecutive doubles by Murphy and Chelsea Sciacca gave the Lancers a four-run edge. A fifth run came across for the visitors on a single hit to the short stop.

Longwood added one in the seventh on a groundout hit to third to score Casey Lifsey, who reached on a double down the left side.

Radford looked to rally in the seventh, scoring one run and loading the bases. Nia Chiles led off with a single before Honaker reached base on an error by the pitcher. Rowe scored the lead runner on a single hit to the short stop, cutting the deficit to 10-5.

After today's results from around the conference, Radford will enter the tournament as the No. 8 seed and play No. 9 Gardner-Webb in a single-elimination game on Thursday, May 7, at 9 a.m. The winner will play top-seeded Longwood later in the day at 2:30 p.m.

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.