SOFTBALL GETS BACK ON THE FIELD FRIDAY AT ETSU

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Live Stats: Game 1 | Game 2

RADFORD, Va. – After having its midweek games pushed back by the winter weather, the Radford softball team returns to game action for the first time in eight days on Friday, traveling to East Tennessee State for a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.

The games will be the seventh and eighth between the teams in the last three seasons and they have split the previous six, including a doubleheader at Radford last year. The Highlanders rebounded from a 4-2 loss in the opener with a 9-3 victory in the second contest. Radford leads the all-time series 17-9.

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

Record: 9-8
Marissa Gagliano is on a four-game hitting streak, including two hits in each of the last three. She now has a team-best six multiple-hit outings on the season, while leading the Highlanders with 14 stolen bases – third in the Big South – and 13 runs scored.
The redshirt sophomore needs three more steal to move into a tie for 10th-most in program history.
Brittany Wratchford has homered in two of the last three games and now shares the team-lead with three home runs and 11 RBIs on the season. She is also second on the squad with a .333 average and four doubles.
Abby Morrow remains the Big South's leader in wins with eight, while ranking third in innings (71.2), fifth in ERA (2.83) and tied for fifth in strikeouts.
She is one victory away from fifth-place alone in program history and needs nine strikeouts to move into fourth on that list.
Kayla Bishton leads Radford with a .340 average and shares the team-lead in hits (16), along with Gagliano and Maggie Rowe.
Hunter Mundy is tied with Wratchford with 11 RBIs, while Bishton, Rowe and Sofia Tapia have each driven in eight.
Along with her three home runs, Rowe leads the team with six doubles and 31 total bases.
Tapia has now drawn 15 walks, tied for second-most in the conference, and leads the team with a .429 on-base percentage.
Radford's .970 fielding percentage is second-best among Big South teams.
The Highlanders are 5-0 when allowing two runs or less and 8-0 when leading after four innings.

SCOUTING EAST TENNESSEE STATE

Record: 8-14
ETSU has lost its last five games, including four last weekend in a tournament at Kennesaw State. The Bucs dropped one to the host school (7-5), along with a pair to Tennessee Tech.
The Buccaneers have had three other common opponents with Radford, losing two to Virginia and one to Morehead State (7-6), while defeating Youngstown State (7-3).
ETSU is 2-3 against Big South teams this season, owning a win over Winthrop, splitting two with Gardner-Webb and losing two to Charleston Southern.
Senior First baseman Taylor Carter leads the team with six home runs, 21 RBIs and 18 runs scored, while batting .354 and slugging .708.
Outfielder Tiffany Laughren is hitting a team-best .426 with nine doubles, 14 RBIs and 16 runs, while Danielle Knoetze has a .373 average with seven doubles, five home runs and 15 RBIs.
ETSU is batting .277 as a team with 40 doubles and averaging 4.8 runs per game.
Junior Madison Ogle and senior Lindsey Fadnek have combined to start 17 of the team's 22 games in the circle. Ogle is 3-6 with a 3.82 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 51.1 innings. She earned the win against Radford last year, allowing one earned run on five hits.
Fadnek, who took the loss against the Highlanders in 2016, has a 1-2 record and a 5.25 ERA this season with 27 strikeouts in 30.2 innings.

UP NEXT

Radford returns home to host the postponed doubleheader against NC Central on Tuesday, with the first game now scheduled for 5 p.m.

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

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

#38 Maggie Rowe: C; 5' 4"; Junior; R/R

#3 Hunter Mundy: 3B; 5' 5"; Freshman; R/R

#13 Sofia Tapia: OF; 5' 3"; Freshman; L/L

#11 Brittany Wratchford: INF; 5' 4"; Senior; R/R

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

#38 Maggie Rowe
: 5' 4"; Junior; R/R
: C

#3 Hunter Mundy
: 5' 5"; Freshman; R/R
: 3B

#13 Sofia Tapia
: 5' 3"; Freshman; L/L
: OF

#11 Brittany Wratchford
: 5' 4"; Senior; R/R
: INF