RADFORD HOSTS WESTERN CAROLINA FOR FIRST TIME WEDNESDAY

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RADFORD, Va. – The Radford softball team continues its homestand with a non-conference doubleheader against Western Carolina on Wednesday, with the first game set for 3 p.m.

This will be the Catamounts' first-ever visit to Radford, but the third straight year that the teams are meeting. They split a doubleheader at WCU last season with the Highlanders winning the opener 8-6 in eight innings. Western broke a tie score in the nightcap with three sixth-inning runs for a 5-2 decision, and leads the all-time series 3-2.

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

Record: 18-17
Hunter Mundy has now reached base in 18 consecutive games with hits in 15 of them and is batting .388 on the season, fourth in the Big South. She is fifth with a .456 on-base percentage, sixth in slugging (.633) and tied for sixth with 29 RBIs.
Brittany Wratchford is now tied for fourth in the conference with eight home runs. She has five longballs and nine of her 23 RBIs in the 10 home games. Overall, 14 of her 22 hits have been for extra bases.
Marissa Gagliano has hits in four straight games and led the team with five total during the Charleston Southern series.
Maggie Rowe is now tied with Mundy for second on the team with five home runs and third with 21 RBIs.
Mundy leads the Highlanders with 38 hits, followed by Kayla Bishton with 31, Gagliano with 29 and Rowe with 28.
Kayla Huffman has recorded at least five strikeouts in each of her last seven starts and remains fifth in the Big South with 80 on the season, in just 72 innings. She is fourth with her 2.72 ERA.
Radford ranks 23rd in the NCAA in fielding percentage (.974).
Mundy and Gagliano rank first and second in the conference in assists, combining for 186 in the team's 35 games.
Rowe has totaled 10 caught stealings, fourth-most in the league.
The Highlanders have allowed just four total runs in its seven home wins, but 27 in its three losses.

SCOUTING WESTERN CAROLINA

Record: 10-21
Western Carolina won two of three in a road series at Chattanooga over the weekend, sweeping a doubleheader Saturday (11-2 and 6-2) before losing the Sunday finale 7-4.
The Catamounts are 2-7 in Southern Conference play and 1-3 against Big South teams, splitting at Presbyterian and getting swept at Winthrop.
WCU averages 4.2 runs per game and is hitting .279 as a team with 52 doubles and 20 home runs.
Sophomore outfielder Hunter Gibbons leads the way with .351 average, seven homers, 11 doubles and 31 RBIs. She was named the SoCon Player of the Week after hitting .545 with two homers, two doubles and six RBIs in the Chattanooga series.
Sophomore catcher Madison Armstrong has a .330 average with 11 doubles and 17 RBIs, while Courtney Price is at .325 with six doubles, four home runs and 11 RBIs.
Of the team's 18 hits in the two games against Radford last season, only six came from players on this year's squad.
Three different pitchers have made at least nine starts, led by senior Courtney Buchanan, who has a 3-7 record and 4.06 ERA in 70.2 innings with 53 strikeouts and 44 walks. She got the win against the Highlanders last year, allowing two runs on two hits with eight strikeouts and five walks.
Lily Hayes is 5-7 with a 4.04 ERA, 48 strikeouts and 22 walks in 60.2 innings, while Shaina Reed is 2-5 with a 5.21 ERA, 36 strikeouts and 31 walks in 49.2 innings. Hayes started the game that Radford won, allowing four runs on seven hits in five innings.

UP NEXT

Radford wraps up the homestand and returns to conference play for a three-game series against Campbell, beginning with a Friday doubleheader starting at 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

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

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

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

#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

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

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

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

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