RADFORD SOFTBALL OPENS 2018 SEASON AT EAGLE ROUND ROBIN

Follow @RadfordSoftball

RADFORD, Va. – Softball season is back as the Highlanders kick off 2018 traveling to Statesboro, Ga., for the Eagle Round Robin hosted by Georgia Southern. The Highlanders will begin action on Friday morning at 9 a.m., against ETSU, followed by Austin Peay at 2 p.m.

SETTING THE STAGE
• Location: Statesboro, Ga. (Eagle Field)
• Time: 9 a.m. (ETSU) | 2 p.m. (Austin Peay)
• Live Stats
• Watch Live (Georgia Southern)
• Tournament Central
• Tickets
• Game Notes

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS
• Last season Radford went 27-28 and was second in the Big South in fielding percentage, but led the conference with 543 assists.
• Former assistant coach, Hope Creasy, has taken over as the program's ninth head coach in program history. It is the first time the former Highlander outfielder will take the reigns at a four-year program.
• Sophomore Hunter Mundy led the Highlanders offensively in 2017 posting a team leading .329 batting average and a team-high 32 RBIs.
• Abby Morrow is geared up for her senior season after a pitching a team-leading 3.05 ERA in 2017 with 21 complete games. Morrow was named All-Big South Second Team Honorable Mention last year.
• Marissa Gagliano returns as the everyday shortstop and was second on the team with a .278 batting average. She recorded 21 stolen bases in 2017, which was good for fourth in the Big South.
• Radford looks to exceed expectations in 2018 as they were picked to finish fifth among Big South teams.
• The Highlanders have won two of their last four season opening games, including victories over Charlotte and IUPUI.

SCOUTING ETSU
• Series: Radford leads 17-11
• The Buccaneers went 29-26 a season ago, but won four straight games in the SoCon Tournament and secured a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
• ETSU was picked to finish third in the SoCon as Tiffany Laughren and Madison Ogle earned preseason honors.
• Last season Laughren led the team with a .373 batting average and 18 doubles. Inside the circle, Ogle posted a 12-13 record with a 3.55 ERA and was four strikeouts shy of 100.

SCOUTING AUSTIN PEAY
• Series: Austin Peay leads 2-0
• Austin Peay is poised for a turnaround in 2018 after going 17-31 a season ago.
• The Governors were picked to finish last in the OVC this season under first year head coach Rodney DeLong.
• Danielle Liermann returns for her junior season after leading the team with a .322 batting average. The top three offensive players return for the Govs in 2018.

SCOUTING MURRAY STATE
• Series: First Meeting
• The 2017 Murray State softball season saw several firsts including the Racers earning their first-ever postseason berth in the NISC after winning 36 games.
• The Racers look to fill some missing pieces in replacing their first-ever two-time OVC Player of the Year in Jessica Twaddle, who also became Murray State's first-ever NFCA All-American.
• The top returning hitter is Brenna Finck, who led the 2017 squad with 73 hits and was second behind Twaddle with a .380 batting average.

SCOUTING GEORGIA SOUTHERN
• Series: Radford leads 5-2
• Members of the Sun Belt Conference, Georgia Southern went 24-29 last year.
• The Eagles were fifth in the league offensively, but second to last in team ERA (4.50).
• Kierra Camp and Mekhia Freeman are the top returners for Georgia Southern this season. Camp made 35 appearances on the mound and posted a 4.93 ERA with eight wins. Freeman led the team in doubles with 11 and tallied a .500 slugging percentage with a .323 batting average.

UP NEXT
• The Eagle Round Robin continues on Saturday with a double-dip beginning at 2 p.m., against Murray State and ending with host Georgia Southern at 4:30 p.m. The Georgia Southern game can be seen via live stream. The tournament ends on Sunday at 9 a.m., with Austin Peay on tap.

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

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

Players Mentioned

#5 Marissa Gagliano

#2 Abby Morrow

#3 Hunter Mundy

Players Mentioned

#5 Marissa Gagliano

#2 Abby Morrow

#3 Hunter Mundy