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Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
2017 senior day
Radford Athletics Communications
7
Winner Winthrop WINTHROP 24-27
6
Radford RAD 25-26
Winner
Winthrop WINTHROP
24-27
7
Final
6
Radford RAD
25-26
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Winthrop WINTHROP 0 0 3 2 0 0 2 7 7 2
Radford RAD 0 0 0 5 0 0 1 6 7 3

W: ROMINE, Keleigh (5-9) L: Huffman, Kayla (6-9)

Game Recap: Softball |

RADFORD RALLIES BUT FALLS TO WINTHROP 7-6 IN SERIES OPENER



RADFORD, Va. – The Radford softball team came back from a five-run deficit to tie Winthrop in Saturday evening's opener of its crucial final series, but could not complete a second rally, dropping a 7-6 decision on Senior Night.
 
The loss means the Highlanders (25-26, 6-13) will need to sweep both games of Sunday's regular-season ending doubleheader to claim the sixth and final spot in next week's Big South Tournament. The two wins would tie Radford with Gardner-Webb, and the Highlanders own the tiebreaker with their earlier series win.
 
Meanwhile, Winthrop (24-27, 9-10) clinched a spot with the victory after scoring runs in the top of the seventh, with the game-winner coming thanks to an error.
 
Radford was able to manufacture one run in the bottom of the seventh as Kayla Bishton led off with a single and went to second on a fielding error. After two outs, Summer Robinson and Hannah Medlam got back-to-back infield hits, with Bishton scoring on the second one. However, with the tying run on second, a groundout to the pitcher ended the game.
 
Robinson and Medlam each had two hits, including a double, while Medlam had two RBIs. Kayla Huffman suffered the loss in relief, allowing the two runs – one earned – on three hits in 3.2 innings. She struck out six and walked three.
 
After two perfect innings to start by Abby Morrow, Winthrop scored three runs in the third and two more in the fourth. A leadoff walk, double and single gave the Eagles a 1-0 lead and two more runs came home on a fielding error with two outs. In the fourth, a one-out error and single were followed by a two-run double.
 
However, the Highlanders came back with a five-run bottom of the inning with help from five Winthrop walks. After the first free pass, Robinson and Medlam hit back-to-back doubles to get Radford on the board. The Eagles then changed pitchers, but Kiley Majette walked three straight batters around two wild pitches that brought home runs. Starter Keleigh Romine then came back into the circle and walked Marissa Gagliano with the bases loaded to make it 5-4. A sacrifice fly by Bishton tied it up, but the Highlanders were unable to get the lead, leaving two in scoring position.
 
In the top of the seventh, Maddie Antone led off with a double and Ashley Westbrooks followed with a single to center. Sofia Tapia's throw home was off line, allowing Antone to score and Westbooks to go all the way to third. Morgan Lowers then flew out to left for a sacrifice fly and the game-deciding two-run lead.
 
Each team had seven hits in the game, including one by Hunter Mundy to extend her reached base streak to 10 games. Romine finished out the contest and got the victory, allowing four runs, three of them earned.
 
Robinson, Bishton and Tiffany Brown were honored before the game as they get set to play their final home contests. First pitch for Sunday's doubleheader is set for 1 p.m. on the Big South Network.
 
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