RADFORD OPENS BIG SOUTH TOURNEY WEDNESDAY VS. CAMPBELL

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RADFORD, Va. – After improving to a fourth-place finish in the conference standings, the Radford softball team looks to follow it up by with a deep run toward the 2016 Big South Championship when it begins play in the double-elimination tournament against Campbell Wednesday at 12 p.m. in Rock Hill, S.C.

SETTING THE STAGE

Time: 12 p.m.
Location: Terry Field | Rock Hill, S.C.
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LOOKING AHEAD

In its second game of the tournament, Radford will face either top seed Longwood or the survivor of the play-in game between No. 8 Gardner-Webb and No. 9 Winthrop.
A Highlanders' win over Campbell would move them to a 2 p.m. winner's bracket game on Thursday, while a loss in the opener means a 9 a.m. elimination game.

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

Abby Morrow finished the regular season as the conference's ERA leader at 2.10. She also ranked first in shutouts, complete games and innings pitched, while tying for second in wins.
Her 216.2 innings pitched this season are the fourth-most in program history. She is also sixth with 21 complete games and tied for sixth with her six solo shutouts.
Lauren McIntyre and Kayla Huffman ranked sixth and seventh in the conference, respectively, in ERA as the Highlanders placed second as team at 2.80.
RU pitchers combined to issue just 62 walks in the 56 games, 42 fewer than any other Big South team. McIntyre remains second in the nation in walks per seven innings, with Morrow eighth.
The Highlanders shared the conference lead with 71 doubles, ranked first in triples (14) and were third in home runs (40).
Becky Mantel now shares fourth place on the program's career home run list with assistant coach Hope Creasy at 32. She is one way from tying Jessie Hutchens for third. She is now third in walks (73) and fourth in runs (145).
With her career-high five-RBI game on Friday night, she took over the team lead with 33. Seven different Highlanders have totaled at least 21 on the season.
Marissa Gagliano finished tied for fourth in the conference in hits and fourth in stolen bases. Defensively, she led the league with 154 assists, 39 more than any other player.
Against conference opponents, Nia Chiles had a team-best .333 average, while Hannah Medlam was second at .305.

OPENING GAME NOTES

The teams will be meeting for the fourth straight game after Campbell took two of three at home over the weekend.
The Fighting Camels batted .342 as a team in the series, while limiting the Highlanders to 12 total hits.
Amber Schisler went 7 for 10 at the plate for Campbell, while Rachel McCollum hit .500 with two home runs and five RBIs.
Six of the 11 runs Radford surrendered were unearned.
RU posted a 6-5 record in neutral-site games during the regular season, while Campbell was 3-4.
The teams are facing off in a Big South tournament game for the first time since 1994.
Radford comes in as the No. 4 seed for just the second time in program history. Ironically, the only previous occasion came in 2013, when the tournament was also hosted by Winthrop.

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Players Mentioned

#7 Nia Chiles: UT; 5' 11"; Senior; L/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

#24 Hannah Medlam: OF; 5' 6"; Freshman; L/R

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

#8 Lauren McIntyre: P/INF; 5' 5"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#7 Nia Chiles
: 5' 11"; Senior; L/R
: UT

#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

#24 Hannah Medlam
: 5' 6"; Freshman; L/R
: OF

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

#8 Lauren McIntyre
: 5' 5"; Freshman; R/R
: P/INF