HIGHLANDERS SET FOR FINAL NON-CONFERENCE ROAD TRIP WEDNESDAY

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RADFORD, Va. – The Radford softball team plays the last two of its 25 non-conference games away from home on Wednesday as it travels to in-state foe Hampton for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.

The Highlanders (24-15) enter on a four-game winning streak and have now recorded their most victories in a season since the 2012 Big South regular-season championship campaign.

SETTING THE STAGE

Day/Time: Wednesday, April 13 | 1 p.m. (DH)
Location: Lady Pirates Softball Stadium (Hampton, Va.)
Live Stats
Series: Hampton leads 4-1
History: This will be the first meeting between the programs since 2006, when Radford won a neutral-site game 5-0. Each of the four previous games were played in Hampton (1999 and 2001).

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

Record: 24-15
Radford's offense answered with runs in its ensuing at-bat each of the four times Gardner-Webb scored during the three-game sweep, including three times in the 11-9 11-inning finale.
For the season, the Highlanders have followed opponents' runs with at least one of their own on 36 of 79 opportunities (46 percent), including each of the last eight chances in the four-game winning streak.
Abby Morrow did not allow an earned run over 18.1 innings in her three appearances against GWU, lowering her ERA for the season to 2.12, second in the Big South. She is tied for first with 14 wins and also has conference-high four shutouts.
The Highlanders have hit home runs in nine straight games, with 14 of their 30 on the season coming in that span.
Becky Mantel has reached base in 13 consecutive contests, while Marissa Gagliano has hit safely in eight in a row.
Mantel is now third in the conference with 34 runs scored, while ranking second on the team with seven home runs and 25 RBIs.
Gagliano stands fourth in the Big South in hits (47), sixth in runs (30), seventh in average (.351) and eighth in on-base percentage (.428). She is also tied for second with three triples.
Whitney Davis ranks sixth in the league with 30 RBIs and tied for eighth with eight home runs. She is now even with Mantel and Ashley Taylor for sixth in program history with 30 career homers.
Over the last eight games, Summer Robinson is batting .417 (10 of 24) with three home runs, two doubles and 12 RBIs. She is now fourth on the team with 23 RBIs – eight more than her previous career high.
The Highlanders upped their conference-leading doubles total to 61. Individually, Marissa Yow and Kayla Bishton are tied for third with 11 each.

SCOUTING HAMPTON

Record: 12-22
Hampton has lost six straight games, all on the road, including a three-game sweep at Delaware State on Sunday and Monday.
The Pirates' also dropped a pair at Virginia Tech and one at Liberty during the span. However, their last win came in the first game of that March 31 doubleheader against the Flames (7-5) in Lynchburg.
Hampton owns a 6-9 home record on the season.
The Pirates are batting .274 as a team with 43 doubles, but just nine home runs.
Taylor McCoy holds the top average at .350 with seven doubles and 16 RBIs.
Jada Fields leads the way with 20 RBIs and has six doubles, while Hope Sobelewski has 15 RBIs and five doubles and 21 runs scored.
In the circle, Hampton has a collective ERA of 7.62 and is allowing 6.59 runs per game, while issuing 129 walks.
Allie Hotetz and Fields have combined to make 27 starts, with Hotetz logging 105.0 innings. She is 5-11 with a 7.11 ERA 48 strikeouts and 65 walks.

UP NEXT
Radford returns to conference play and begins a seven-game homestand with a series against Presbyterian over the weekend. The first game of Saturday's doubleheader will air on ESPN3. The Highlanders will also honor their seniors prior to that game.

For the latest on Radford Athletics, please subscribe to our weekly newsletter, Highlander Happenings.

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Players Mentioned

#20 Kayla Bishton: OF/1B; 5' 8"; Junior; L/L

#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

#6 Summer Robinson: OF; 5' 3"; Junior; R/R

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

Players Mentioned

#20 Kayla Bishton
: 5' 8"; Junior; L/L
: OF/1B

#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

#6 Summer Robinson
: 5' 3"; Junior; R/R
: OF

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