SOFTBALL OPENS 2020 SEASON AT PHOENIX INVITATIONAL

RADFORD, Va. – The 2020 softball season will get underway for Radford on Friday at 4 p.m., against Elon in the Elon Softball Phoenix Invitational.

The three-day tournament features four games for Radford. Following the Friday's season opener, the Highlanders will have a doubleheader on Saturday against Siena (9:30 a.m.) and Morgan State (11:45 a.m.), then end the tournament on Sunday at 9:30 a.m., with Siena.

Head coach Hope Creasy begins her third season at the helm for Radford. She's posted an 8-1 record on opening weekend. She went 4-0 in her first season at the Eagle Round Robin hosted by Georgia Southern then went 4-1 at the Seahawk Softball Bash in Wilmington, N.C., to open the 2019 campaign.

The Highlanders have 10 returners and seven newcomers on the 2020 roster.

Senior Sofia Tapia saw action in 59 games last season and tallied 47 hits that included 10 doubles and two home runs. Another senior Hunter Mundy led the team in home runs a season ago with 13 home runs – the most in any season of her career. Her 13 home runs were tied for third most in the Big South.

Sophomore Sydney Fisher was a force to be reckoned with at the plate recording 82 hits, ranking third in a single-season at Radford. She claimed the 2019 Big South batting title with a .396 batting average.

Junior Jessie Marvin leads the pitching staff and had a stellar sophomore season. She increased her work load, while also lowering her ERA. She started 28 games and tossed 178.0 innings. She struck out 78 batters and tallied a 2.95 ERA.

Elon opened its season last weekend and went 3-1 in its home tournament, the Elon Softball Classic. Elon defeated Rhode Island, 5-0, in its season-opener last Saturday, before taking a tough outing against Seton Hall in a 17-6 setback to conclude the first day at the tournament. The Phoenix rebounded on the following day to sweep Longwood in a doubleheader. Elon earned a 4-2 victory in the first game before concluding the twin bill with a 13-3 win over the Lancers.

Kenna Quinn was named the Colonial Athletic Association's Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday, for her performance in the circle at the Elon Softball Classic. Quinn went 2-0 over the weekend with a pair of complete game victories. She posted a 0.00 ERA and struck out 13 batters compared to four walks.

Morgan State and Siena will open its 2020 season on Friday as well.

Morgan State was predicted to finish sixth in the 2020 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Softball Preseason Poll after going 22-24 in 2019 and 10-4 in the MEAC. Siena went 22-25 last year and was 13-7 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) finishing in the top three in the league standings. Siena was chosen fifth in the 2020 MAAC Preseason Poll.

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Players Mentioned

#7 Sydney Fisher: IF/OF; 5' 5"; Junior; L/R

#6 Jessie Marvin: P; 5' 7"; Junior; R/R

#3 Hunter Mundy: IF; 5' 5"; Senior; R/R

#13 Sofia Tapia: C; 5' 3"; Senior; L/L

Players Mentioned

#7 Sydney Fisher
: 5' 5"; Junior; L/R
: IF/OF

#6 Jessie Marvin
: 5' 7"; Junior; R/R
: P

#3 Hunter Mundy
: 5' 5"; Senior; R/R
: IF

#13 Sofia Tapia
: 5' 3"; Senior; L/L
: C