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Aileen Morales

Softball

SOFTBALL PLAYS IN UPSTATE CLASSIC FRIDAY AND SATURDAY



RADFORD, Va. – The Radford softball team will play the last of its three pre-conference tournaments this weekend, traveling to South Carolina for four games as part of the Upstate Classic.
 
After opening play in the tournament against Youngstown State Friday at 11 a.m., the Highlanders will follow with a matchup against co-host and four-time NCAA Regional participant USC Upstate at 1 p.m. On Saturday, Radford will face Youngstown again, also at 11 a.m., before taking on co-host Furman at 3 p.m.

Live stats will be provided for all four games, with live video available for the Furman contest.
 
HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS
  • Record: 6-4
  • Radford is coming off its second consecutive 3-2 weekend, posting wins over Kennesaw State, Georgia Tech and Georgia State.
  • Abby Morrow was named Big South Pitcher of the Week after notching all victories in the circle, including a four-hit shutout of the ACC's Yellow Jackets.
  • The Highlanders have now earned a conference honor each of their first two weeks of the season.
  • In her last two starts, Morrow allowed one run and 10 hits, recording 37 of the 42 outs via strikeout or groundout. For the season, she holds a 5-2 mark with a 2.98 ERA in 40 innings. She is tied for first in the conference in wins and fourth with 26 strikeouts.
  • Radford's offense was balanced over the weekend, with five different players collecting at least four hits and four contributing four RBIs apiece. Five Highlanders hit at least one home run, while Marissa Gagliano and Sofia Tapia combined for 10 stolen bases.
  • For the season, Gagliano is second in the conference with 10 steals (on 11 attempts), with Tapia fourth at 8 for 11. Tapia is also tied for second in the league with 10 walks. The duo also ranks first and second on the team in runs scored, combining for 15.
  • Maggie Rowe remains the Big South leader with .424 average and .818 slugging percentage, while totaling with three home runs, four doubles and seven RBIs.
  • Kayla Bishton is batting .346 with three doubles and seven RBIs, while freshman Hunter Mundy has a pair of home runs and a team-high eight RBIs.
  • Hannah Medlam is 10th in the conference with a .357 average, and the Highlanders are hitting .298 as a team and averaging 4.8 runs per game.
 
SCOUTING YOUNGSTOWN STATE
  • Record: 0-9
  • Youngstown is still looking for its first win and is coming off an 0-4 weekend at the Winthrop tournament. It was outscored 27-6 in losses to four different teams, including a 7-1 defeat to Winthrop.
  • The Penguins also lost two games to former Big South member Coastal Carolina (5-1 and 9-1) during two weekends ago.
  • For the season, Youngstown has been outscored 63-20, is hitting just .194 as a team with four home runs, while and holding a 5.61 ERA.
  • Junior outfielder Cali Mikovich is batting .308 with a team-high eight hits, including one home run and one double.
  • Senior catcher Maria Lacatena has six hits and four RBIs.
  • Senior Caitlyn Minney and freshman Maddi Lusk have combined to start eight of the nine games in the circle. Minney has a 4.55 ERA in 32.1 innings, while Lusk has a 6.38 ERA in 18.2 innings.
 
SCOUTING USC UPSTATE
  • Record: 16-2
  • USC Upstate posted its 13th straight win on Wednesday with a 4-0 home shutout of Western Carolina.
  • The Spartans are 6-0 this season against Big South teams, having beaten Gardner-Webb and Charleston Southern each twice and Presbyterian and Campbell once.
  • Their lone losses were to ranked foes James Madison (4-0) and Missouri (1-0).
  • Upstate has not allowed just 17 runs on the season, no more than one in its last 11 contests and owns a team ERA of just 0.89.
  • The senior duo of Lexi Shubert and Holly McKinnon have combined for 112 of the team's 118 innings with 153 strikeouts and 21 walks.
  • Shubert, the two-time Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Year, is 8-1 this season with a 0.80 ERA with 82 strikeouts. McKinnon, an Atlantic Sun first team selection, has a 7-1 mark, 1.10 ERA and 71 strikeouts.
  • Offensively, junior first baseman Karia Beasley leads the way with a .345 average, three home runs and 15 RBIs.
  • Senior catcher Abbie Millete is hitting .340 with six doubles, three homers and 11 RBIs, while sophomore shortstop Ansley Gilstrap has a team-high 13 runs and 10 stolen bases, along with 13 RBIs.
  • The Spartans are hitting .283 as a team 11 home runs and 25 doubles, averaging 4.6 runs per game.
  • Upstate was 43-15 last season and has reached four consecutive NCAA Regionals, while winning three Atlantic Sun Tournament titles in the last four years.
 
SCOUTING FURMAN
  • Record: 8-8
  • After an 0-5 start at a Florida State tournament that included two losses to the host Seminoles, Furman has won 8 of its 11 games, all at home
  • The Paladins won all four games this past weekend, including three by shutout. Previously, they faced two Big South teams, defeating Campbell 5-3 and losing Presbyterian 5-4. They also dropped a pair of games to USC Upstate.
  • Three pitchers have combined for a 2.67 team ERA, with junior Lindsey Bert and sophomore Emily Demonte logging most of the innings.
  • Bert has made nine starts and is 5-4 with a 2.33 ERA in 54 innings, with 39 strikeouts and 15 walks. Demonte is 2-4 with a 3.73 ERA in 41.1 innings.
  • Offensively, Furman is batting .245 with 20 doubles and 11 home runs, while averaging 4.1 runs per game.
  • Junior first baseman AnnaRose Borrelli is hitting .313 with a team-high 12 RBI, along with three home runs.
  • Bert holds a team-best .333 average, while junior outfielder Caroline Cash is batting .280 with team-highs of eight runs scored and four stolen bases.
  • Senior Kalie Hicks is batting just .156 but has three home runs, two doubles and eight RBIs.
 
UP NEXT
  • Following the weekend, Radford will try a second time to play its home opener, welcoming Virginia for a doubleheader Tuesday beginning at 1 p.m.
 
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Players Mentioned

Kayla Bishton

#20 Kayla Bishton

1B/OF
5' 8"
Senior
L/L
Marissa Gagliano

#5 Marissa Gagliano

SS
5' 4"
Redshirt Sophomore
L/R
Hannah Medlam

#24 Hannah Medlam

OF
5' 6"
Sophomore
L/R
Abby Morrow

#2 Abby Morrow

P
5' 10"
Senior
R/R
Maggie Rowe

#38 Maggie Rowe

C
5' 4"
Junior
R/R
Hunter Mundy

#3 Hunter Mundy

3B
5' 5"
Freshman
R/R
Sofia Tapia

#13 Sofia Tapia

OF
5' 3"
Freshman
L/L

Players Mentioned

Kayla Bishton

#20 Kayla Bishton

5' 8"
Senior
L/L
1B/OF
Marissa Gagliano

#5 Marissa Gagliano

5' 4"
Redshirt Sophomore
L/R
SS
Hannah Medlam

#24 Hannah Medlam

5' 6"
Sophomore
L/R
OF
Abby Morrow

#2 Abby Morrow

5' 10"
Senior
R/R
P
Maggie Rowe

#38 Maggie Rowe

5' 4"
Junior
R/R
C
Hunter Mundy

#3 Hunter Mundy

5' 5"
Freshman
R/R
3B
Sofia Tapia

#13 Sofia Tapia

5' 3"
Freshman
L/L
OF