SOFTBALL’S BIG SOUTH OPENING SERIES MOVED TO SUNDAY, MONDAY

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RADFORD, Va. – Following a successful start in non-conference play, the Radford softball team looks to continue its momentum as it begins Big South Conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Charleston Southern.

Due to inclement weather in the forecast for Saturday, the games have been moved back a day. The teams will now play a doubleheader on Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. and then close out the series on Monday with a 2 p.m. first pitch.

The Highlanders (14-6) have won eight of their last 10 games, including five of six capped by Wednesday's home doubleheader sweep of East Carolina. RU plays its next nine games on the road, including a pair of conference series'.

SETTING THE STAGE

Location: CSU Softball Complex
Day/Time: Sunday, March 20 – 1 p.m. (DH) | Monday, March 21 – 1 p.m.
Live Stats: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
Series: Radford leads 48 -26
History: Radford has won seven of the last nine games, including two of three at home last year. The Highlanders have prevailed in four straight regular-season series' against Charleston Southern.

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

Record: 14-6
Whitney Davis has gone 8 for 14 at the plate over the last five games, with three home runs and 11 RBIs. Her grand slam on Wednesday was her 26^th career homer, tying teammate Becky Mantel for seventh on the program's all-time list.
With a pair of HBPs against East Carolina, Mantel moved to within three of the NCAA Division I record with 89 for her career.
Mantel has also climbed up to seventh in program history with 122 runs scored and is tied for 10th in walks.
Radford remains third in the Big South with a .300 team batting average, with all nine players in the starting lineup hitting at least .259. Five Highlanders have totaled at least 11 RBIs, while five have also scored at least 10 runs.
Mantel and Marissa Yow have both reached base in 10 straight games.
Yow remains the team's leader with a .350 average (sixth in the Big South) and 17 RBIs, while Mantel has a team-high 18 runs scored and is third with 14 RBIs. The senior's .473 on-base percentage is fourth in the conference.
Marissa Gagliano now has a team-best 22 hits and is second with 16 runs. She is fourth in the league with her 12 stolen bases.
Abby Morrow remains third in the nation in walks allowed per seven innings at 0.37. Her four walks on the season are seven fewer than any other regular starter in the Big South.
Morrow shares the conference lead with eight wins and ranks third with a 2.43 ERA.
Kayla Huffman is holding opposing hitters to a .215 average, third-best in the conference, and she is fifth with a 2.55 ERA.
Radford's 2.66 team ERA is second in the league.
RU has answered back with runs in its following at-bat after an opponent has scored a total of 14 times in 36 opportunities (39 percent) this season.

SCOUTING CHARLESTON SOUTHERN

Record: 12-14
Charleston Southern has had an up and down start in its non-conference season, winning eight of its first nine and then losing 11 of 12. The Buccaneers followed that with three victories in a row before dropping a 3-1 decision at home to Syracuse on Tuesday.
Like Radford, CSU split two games against Western Carolina, winning 5-4 and losing 6-5.
Standout pitcher/utility player Cheyenne Gandara, the All-Big South first team designated player last year and 2014 conference tournament MVP, has not appeared in a game this season.
Without her in the circle, Charleston Southern has relied upon two sophomores and a freshman who have combined for a 4.15 team ERA.
Sophomore Hayley Elkins is 6-9 with a 4.18 ERA in 85.1 innings. She has struck out 76 and walked 46. Freshman Arizona Pilgrim is 4-3 with a 4.26 ERA in 44.1 innings with just 15 strikeouts and 17 walks.
Offensively, Charleston Southern is hitting .272 as a team with 30 doubles and 14 home runs.
Amanda Matsumoto is batting .320 with a team-high 24 hits and leads the Big South with 18 stolen bases. She is tied for second in the conference with 15 walks and ranks sixth in on-base percentage.
Stephanie Bergmann and Stephanie Baro are the team's RBI leaders with 14 and 13, respectively.
Freshman Jade Gandara is batting .370 with a team-high three home runs, along with 11 RBI, while Stevi Johnson has totaled five doubles, two homers and 11 RBIs.
Lexie Vanada holds a .400 average with five doubles in a total of 19 games.
Natalie Yonan is the lone senior on CSU's roster.

UP NEXT
Radford continues its road stretch with a non-conference doubleheader at Marshall on Wednesday.

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Players Mentioned

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

#5 Marissa Gagliano: OF/SS; 5' 4"; Redshirt Freshman; L/R

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

#2 Abby Morrow: P; 5' 10"; Junior; R/R

#22 Kayla Huffman: P; 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R

#23 Marissa Yow: C; 5' 9"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

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

#5 Marissa Gagliano
: 5' 4"; Redshirt Freshman; L/R
: OF/SS

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

#2 Abby Morrow
: 5' 10"; Junior; R/R
: P

#22 Kayla Huffman
: 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R
: P

#23 Marissa Yow
: 5' 9"; Freshman; R/R
: C