Softball 2/22/2018 3:59:00 PM

RADFORD HEADS TO MERCER FOR BLACK & ORANGE CHALLENGE

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RADFORD, Va. – The Radford softball team heads to Georgia for the second time this season to compete in the Black & Orange Challenge hosted by Mercer. The Highlanders only play two days in the tournament beginning with Eastern Kentucky on Friday morning at 10 a.m., and Akron to follow at 7:15 p.m.

Saturday concludes with a matchup against Drexel at 9:30 a.m., and the finale with host Mercer at 4:15 p.m.

SETTING THE STAGE
• Location: Macon, Ga. (Sikes Field)
• Live Stats
• Game Notes
• Tournament Central

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS
• Radford (6-3) had a tough slate in the First Pitch Classic hosted by Charlotte and posted a 2-3 record over the weekend. The Highlanders picked up wins against Charlotte and Dayton by a combined 10-0 score.
• Radford upended the homesteading 49ers in five innings, 8-0 and Abby Morrow threw a one-hit shutout against Dayton in a 2-0 win on Sunday.
• During the First Pitch Classic the Highlanders recorded 11 extra base hits. Led with four doubles, followed by three triples and three home runs – two long balls by Hunter Mundy.
• Mundy leads the team with three home runs and eight RBIs.
• Radford still ranks inside the nation's top 15 in home runs per game. The Highlanders are 15 and have hit 1.33 per game this season.
• Marissa Gagliano leads the team with a .444 batting average and 12 hits.
• Right on her heels is Talia Douglas with 10 hits and a .385 batting average.
• Abby Morrow leads the pitching staff with a 4-1 record, 20 strikeouts, five complete games and a 1.41 ERA.
• Hannah Medlam leads the team with two doubles. She is one of six players with multiple extra base hits this season.
• Radford has a 2.48 team ERA, 41 strikeouts and recorded three shutouts in nine games.
• Opponents are only batting .222 and have scored 25 runs in nine games against the Highlanders.

SCOUTING EASTERN KENTUCKY (5-3)
• Series: Eastern Kentucky leads 3-1 | Last Meeting: March 11, 2005 (Radford won 10-5)
• EKU enters the weekend with a 5-3 record after playing at the Total Control Sports Invitational and Charleston Southern Tournament.
• One of the Colonels three losses came against a familiar foe in Charleston Southern. The Bucs defeated EKU 8-0 in five innings.
• Through eight games, Zoe Mihalicz leads the squad with 10 hits in 24 at-bats.
• Emily Corbitt has two doubles, one triple and one home run and a team-high six RBIs in 2018.
• Tori Peterson has pitched to a 3-1 record with a 1.25 ERA. She leads with 22.1 innings pitched.

SCOUTING AKRON (1-8)
• Series: Akron leads 4-1 | Last Meeting: March 10, 2007 (Radford won 8-3)
• The Zips enter the weekend with a 1-8 record after facing tough competition in the Stetson Lead Off Classic and the Black & Gold Tournament.
• Akron's lone win came against Fort Wayne in the Black & Gold Tournament.
• Sydney Jascoe leads the squad with a .348 batting average and eight hits.
• The Zips have only put up 12 runs so far this season and have allowed 50.
• Mikayla Newland is the only pitcher with double-digit strikeouts with a team-high 18.

SCOUTING DREXEL (0-0)
• Series: Radford leads 1-0 | Last Meeting: Feb. 17, 2008 (Radford won 4-2)
• Drexel will open its season in Macon, Ga., this weekend. The team went 19-30 last season with an 11-14 road record.
• The Dragons return six players who started at least 36 games last season, as well as two pitchers who appeared in at least 22 games.
• Linda Rush, who was named to the Fast Pitch News Preseason All-America Second team, is the leading returner for the Dragons.
• As a freshman, she hit .414 and slugged .850 while leading the team in hits (55), home runs (14) runs batted in (50), doubles (16), runs (31) and total bases (113).

SCOUTING MERCER (8-2)
• Series: Mercer leads 6-3 | Last Meeting: Feb. 13, 2011 (Mercer won 4-3)
• Mercer only has two losses on the young season and returns home after two wins against Florida A&M on Wednesday night.
• The Bears have outscored their opponents by 30 as they have tallied 63 runs this season and held their opponents to 33.
• Mercer has three players hitting over .400 in Laurenne Sanchez, Caroline Taylor and Meghan Rud.
• Sanchez leads with a .452 average, 14 hits, 12 runs scored and four doubles. Taylor is the power hitter with a team-high three home runs and 12 RBIs.
• Jill McElderry leads the pitching staff with a 1.91 ERA and 20 strikeouts. She has posted a 2-1 record and pitched 18.1 innings.

UP NEXT
Following the Black & Orange Challenge, the Highlanders return to the NRV to face Virginia Tech on Wednesday in Blacksburg, Va., at 7 p.m.

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

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

#4 Talia Douglas: IF; 5' 5"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

#4 Talia Douglas
: 5' 5"; Freshman; R/R
: IF