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SOFTBALL HEADS TO BUIES CREEK FOR BIG SOUTH TOURNAMENT

Radford (12-36, 7-15 BSC) :: Gardner-Webb (14-33, 6-18 BSC)
Thursday, May 7, 2015 :: 9:00 a.m.
Littlejohn Stadium :: Buies Creek, N.C.
Live Stats :: Video  
Big South Digital Network :: Tournament Bracket
 
Radford Highlanders (12-36, 7-15 Big South)                                                             
Roster | Schedule | Game Notes | Season Stats | Twitter | Instagram

RADFORD, Va. ---- With the regular season complete, Radford turns its focus on the 2015 Big South Tournament in Buies Creek, N.C., from May 7-10. The Highlanders enter the week as the league's No. 8-seed and will open play against No. 9 Gardner-Webb on Thursday at 9 a.m.
 
Radford and the Runnin' Bulldogs will play in the single-elimination 'play-in' game on Thursday morning. The victor will take on top-seeded Longwood later in the day at 2:30 p.m., while the ladder will return home. The remainder of the bracket is a double-elimination format with the championship scheduled for May 10.
 
The tournament can be viewed on the Big South Digital Network, with games 12-15 and the championship matchup being streamed on ESPN3.
 
Casey Burns cranked her three doubles against Longwood over the weekend, including two in one game. Burns leads the Highlanders in the category and ranks second in the Big South. The Copley, Ohio, native has 16 extra base hits this season to lead Radford.
 
As a team, the Red and White have combined for 94 extra base hits in 2015. The Highlanders had 36 home runs, 7 triples and 51 doubles.
 
Maggie Rowe continued her successful freshman campaign last weekend against Longwood as she went 2-3 with her eighth double to score one runner in game one before notching her sixth home run of the year in part two.
 
Becky Mantel concluded regular season play with the team's best bat at .326 with seven home runs. Mantel hit .393 against Big South opponents. She finished the regular season with 21 hit by pitches, bringing her career total to 78. Already the NCAA record holder for hit by pitches per game in a single season (.71 in 2014), Mantel is 14 away from matching the NCAA career record. She ranks among the top 10 in Radford history for career on base percentage (.459-1st), slugging percentage (.505- 10th), home runs (23- 9th), and hit by pitch (78- 1st).
 
The Highlanders combined to have the team's best batting average since 2010, averaging .266 from the plate. Radford bettered its totals from a year ago in both doubles (51) and triples (7). Its slugging percentage of .405 is the highest since 2010.
 
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.
 
 
10273              The Forecast                                                                                      
 10461
 
 
10272               Scouting the Runnin' Bulldogs                                                    
Garnder-Webb enters the tournament 14-33 and currently on a three game losing streak. Last time out, GWU fell to Furman in a doubleheader, 11-2, 3-1. As the No. 9 seed this week, GWU went 6-18 in league play. The Runnin' Bulldogs are 1-2 at neutral fields.
 
Kellie Beres paces GWU with a .405 average from the dish. Beres has a team-high 66 hits with a trio of doubles and pair of triples. The power of the Runnin' Bulldogs' lineup comes from Scarlett Harris. Harris has 10 doubles, a triple and nine home runs this season. Summer Darnell has the most appearances and starts in the circle for GWU. Darnell has thrown 144.1 innings with 47 strikeouts. 
 

10274            Radford vs. Gardner-Webb: The Series                                    
Radford and Gardner-Webb have a relatively short history as conference foes. The Highlanders lead the series 15-6 all time, with the first meeting coming back on April 3, 1992. The two programs did not meet again until March 29, 2009, which started a nine-game win streak for Radford.
 
Earlier this season, the Red and White took one of three from the Runnin' Bulldogs in Boiling Springs.
 
In 2014, the Highlanders took two of three against the Runnin' Bulldogs in Radford, Va. In 2013, Radford dropped the series on the road to GWU, two games to one.
 
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Players Mentioned

Casey Burns

#3 Casey Burns

1B/3B
5' 7"
Junior
R/R
Becky Mantel

#12 Becky Mantel

OF
5' 4"
Junior
R/R
Maggie Rowe

#38 Maggie Rowe

C/1B
5' 4"
Freshman
R/R

Players Mentioned

Casey Burns

#3 Casey Burns

5' 7"
Junior
R/R
1B/3B
Becky Mantel

#12 Becky Mantel

5' 4"
Junior
R/R
OF
Maggie Rowe

#38 Maggie Rowe

5' 4"
Freshman
R/R
C/1B