RADFORD TAKES TWO FOR SERIES VICTORY OVER LIBERTY

Wednesday, April 27

RADFORD

12PM

Radford University

30-19, 0

Liberty

27-25, 0

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

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Liberty	0	0	2	1	0	2	0	5	11	1
Radford	0	0	1	2	3	0	X	6	6	2

Photo by: RUHighlanderPhotos.com

RADFORD TAKES TWO FOR SERIES VICTORY OVER LIBERTY

4/27/2016 5:14:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

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RADFORD, Va. – The Radford softball team finished off its home schedule in style on Wednesday afternoon, completing a 3-1 win over Liberty in the resumption of the suspended game before rallying to earn a 6-5 decision and take the teams' Big South series.

With the victories, the Highlanders improved to 31-19 overall and 12-6 in the conference, moving ahead of the Flames (27-26 overall), who dropped to 13-8 in league play.

Radford trailed 3-1 in the second game before a two-run home run by Whitney Davis tied it and a three-run homer by Kayla Bishton in the fifth inning put the Highlanders ahead for good. After Liberty got a pair of homers in the sixth, Kayla Huffman came on to record the final five outs and notch the save.

Lauren McIntyre earned both of the victories and moved to 8-0 on the season. She allowed five hits over 6 2-3 innings during the interrupted game before entering in relief of Abby Morrow in the finale.

Liberty took a 2-0 lead in the third inning, using three hits – including an RBI double by Katie Zavodny – and a Radford fielding error. The Highlanders answered with one in the bottom of the frame, taking advantage of a Liberty error with an RBI double by Marissa Gagliano, her 10th of the season.

The Flames quickly pushed the lead to 3-1 in the fourth, again getting three hits and help from a fielding error. However, a two-out single to center by Marissa Yow kept the bottom of the inning going for RU. Davis then worked a 3-2 count and fouled off a pair of pitches before breaking out of a slump with a towering shot off the light pole in left field to even it up. It was Davis' ninth longball of the season and 31st of her career, moving her into a tie for fifth in program history.

McIntyre then entered the circle and pitched around a bunt single in the top of the fifth before Bishton's go-ahead homer in the bottom of the inning. Nia Chiles started it with a leadoff hit up the middle and Hannah Medlam walked. After a sacrifice moved the runners up, a popout followed for the second out, but Bishton delivered the clutch hit, smacking another 3-2 pitch from Liberty starter Julia DiMartino over the left-field fence, her second homer in as many days and career-high fourth of the year.

Liberty got within one on back-to-back homers to start the sixth. McIntyre then got a lineout to right before Huffman came in to get a strikeout and a forceout at second following a bunt single. She then worked a 1-2-3 seventh, including another strikeout to record her second save.

After play resumed in the suspended game in the top of the fourth inning, Radford had chances to add to its 3-1 lead, but left a pair of runners on base in both the fourth and fifth.

However, McIntyre held Liberty's offense in check, retiring eight of the first nine batters before a leadoff double in the seventh. She followed by getting a pair of groundouts, but walked Zavodny. The Highlanders then brought on Morrow and she came through with a game-ending strikeout.

Radford now moves on to a big series at first-place Longwood. The teams will play a single game Friday at 7 p.m. before wrapping it up with a doubleheader on Saturday.

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