FOUR-RUN SIXTH INNING LIFTS VIRGINIA OVER RADFORD, 5-2

Tuesday, March 29

Charlottesville, VA

5PM

Radford University

18-11

Virginia

12-23

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Radford	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	2	6	3
Virginia	0	0	0	1	0	4	X	5	8	2

Photo by: RUHighlanderPhotos.com

FOUR-RUN SIXTH INNING LIFTS VIRGINIA OVER RADFORD, 5-2

3/29/2016 7:12:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. – After solid defense for most of the game, one bad inning proved costly for the Radford softball team in a 5-2 loss at Virginia Tuesday evening.

The Highlanders led 2-1 before three errors and a passed ball led to four Cavalier runs in the bottom of the sixth.

For the second straight game, Whitney Davis provided both RU runs, as she hit a two-run single in the fifth inning. Marissa Gagliano doubled to start the frame, extending her hitting streak to 11 games. Four other Highlanders each had one hit.

Abby Morrow suffered the loss despite allowing just one earned run on eight hits. She struck out three with one walk.

Radford put a pair of runners on in the second inning as Becky Mantel beat out a grounder up the middle and Summer Robinson drew a walk, but Virginia starter Erika Osherow got a strikeout to end the frame. The Highlanders then left two in scoring position in the third after Hannah Medlam led off with a single and Nia Chiles walked in between a pair of sacrifices bunts.

In the fourth, Mantel reached with her 91st career hit by pitch – one shy of the NCAA record – and moved to second on a groundout, but Devyn Trifari had an RBI hit taken away on a sliding catch by the rightfielder.

Morrow retired nine of the first 10 Cavalier batters and faced the minimum through three as Marissa Yow erased the runner after a single. However, Virginia grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the inning using two singles around a stolen base. Cleanup hitter Katie Park plated the run with a two-out RBI single to center.

The Highlanders responded in the top of the fifth on Davis' two-run single with two outs. Gagliano hustled for her double to shallow left-center with one out and moved to third on a groundout. Kayla Bishton was hit by a pitch and stole second. Davis then placed one back up the middle just out of the reach of the shortstop.

The Cavaliers put runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the inning, but Morrow got back-to-back called third strikes to end the threat. However, Virginia recorded four hits in the sixth, beginning with back-to-back singles before the RU miscues helped out the home team.

The Highlanders head back to the New River Valley for just their third and fourth home games of the season on Wednesday, hosting East Tennessee State for a doubleheader, with the opener set for a 3 p.m. start.

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