Tuesday, April 25
Johnson City, TN
4:00 PM
Radford University
13-30
3
at
4
ETSU
13-30
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radford | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 3 |
| ETSU | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 0 |
Photo by: Rob Simmons
Softball Splits Doubleheader at ETSU in Pair of Exciting Games
4/25/2023 9:09:00 PM | Softball
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. –The Radford softball program split their doubleheader at ETSU Tuesday afternoon in a pair of one-run games. Radford fell in the first game in nine innings 4-3, but rebounded in a big way for a 2-1 victory in game two.
Game 1
In game one the two squads would be neck and neck the whole distance thanks to some great pitching. The offense tried to get things going right away in the first inning as Lexie Roberts drew a walk and stole second. After being stranded there, starter Natalie Jones would toss a scoreless bottom half with three groundouts.
In the second inning Radford would successfully get to home plate for an early lead. Rachel Smith led things off with a triple and after Kari Shedrick drew a walk, the team executed a double steal to get Smith home for the 1-0 lead.
A pair of hits in the bottom half of the inning by the Buccaneers tied things up at one-all, and the Buccaneers would gain a slim 2-1 edge in the fourth inning after taking advantage of a costly error. Malorie Reeves would take over in relief in the bottom of the fifth and led Radford in the circle the rest of the way.
In the top of the fifth Radford got its equalizing hit. Shedrick squared up her fourth home run of the season to make it a 2-2 game. Reeves would take over from there, tossing four straight scoreless innings to force the game into extras.
Facing their fifth extra innings game of the season, both teams traded blows but nobody was able to cross home until the ninth inning. Smith started the inning with a single but two outs would move her to third. Taylor Breidt, searching for her first hit of the season in limited play, came up huge with the two-out RBI to give Radford a 3-2 lead.
ETSU responded, however, scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth before the game's end to escape with a 4-3 final.
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Game 2
The second game of the day featured another pitcher's duel between the Highlanders and Buccaneers. Ellen Palya got the starting nod and had one of her better outings of the season to help drive the Highlanders to victory.
The Buccaneers would threaten early in the contest, loading the bases with just one out in the first. Palya didn't panic, striking out back-to-back batters to escape the threat. From there, Palya would retire the Buccaneers with ease.
In the third inning, the Highlanders would reward Palya with all the run support she would need on the afternoon. With two outs, three straight hits would be the difference-maker. Laura Thompson and Lexie Roberts collected singles setting up the senior Abby Wilson to rip a double to right center that scored both and put Radford up 2-0.
In the bottom of the third Radford got a key defensive play from Roberts who collected a hit to center field and gunned down the runner trying to advance home. Keeping that runner from scoring likely kept Radford in the driver's seat for the win. ETSU wouldn't threaten to score again until the bottom of the sixth where a lone solo home run accounted for the lone run Palya gave up.
As she did in the first inning, Palya shook off the trouble and continued to work. In the bottom of the seventh she retired three of the four batters she faced to preserve the lead and the victory for the Highlanders in their final nonconference game of the season.
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UP NEXT
The Highlanders final home weekend series is coming up this weekend against Longwood. Saturday will feature Senior Day, but the series is currently scheduled to go at Friday 4 p.m.
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Follow Softball on Social Media
For more information on the Radford softball team, follow @RadfordSoftball on Twitter and Instagram or Radford Softball on Facebook.
Game 1
In game one the two squads would be neck and neck the whole distance thanks to some great pitching. The offense tried to get things going right away in the first inning as Lexie Roberts drew a walk and stole second. After being stranded there, starter Natalie Jones would toss a scoreless bottom half with three groundouts.
In the second inning Radford would successfully get to home plate for an early lead. Rachel Smith led things off with a triple and after Kari Shedrick drew a walk, the team executed a double steal to get Smith home for the 1-0 lead.
A pair of hits in the bottom half of the inning by the Buccaneers tied things up at one-all, and the Buccaneers would gain a slim 2-1 edge in the fourth inning after taking advantage of a costly error. Malorie Reeves would take over in relief in the bottom of the fifth and led Radford in the circle the rest of the way.
In the top of the fifth Radford got its equalizing hit. Shedrick squared up her fourth home run of the season to make it a 2-2 game. Reeves would take over from there, tossing four straight scoreless innings to force the game into extras.
Facing their fifth extra innings game of the season, both teams traded blows but nobody was able to cross home until the ninth inning. Smith started the inning with a single but two outs would move her to third. Taylor Breidt, searching for her first hit of the season in limited play, came up huge with the two-out RBI to give Radford a 3-2 lead.
ETSU responded, however, scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth before the game's end to escape with a 4-3 final.
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Game 2
The second game of the day featured another pitcher's duel between the Highlanders and Buccaneers. Ellen Palya got the starting nod and had one of her better outings of the season to help drive the Highlanders to victory.
The Buccaneers would threaten early in the contest, loading the bases with just one out in the first. Palya didn't panic, striking out back-to-back batters to escape the threat. From there, Palya would retire the Buccaneers with ease.
In the third inning, the Highlanders would reward Palya with all the run support she would need on the afternoon. With two outs, three straight hits would be the difference-maker. Laura Thompson and Lexie Roberts collected singles setting up the senior Abby Wilson to rip a double to right center that scored both and put Radford up 2-0.
In the bottom of the third Radford got a key defensive play from Roberts who collected a hit to center field and gunned down the runner trying to advance home. Keeping that runner from scoring likely kept Radford in the driver's seat for the win. ETSU wouldn't threaten to score again until the bottom of the sixth where a lone solo home run accounted for the lone run Palya gave up.
As she did in the first inning, Palya shook off the trouble and continued to work. In the bottom of the seventh she retired three of the four batters she faced to preserve the lead and the victory for the Highlanders in their final nonconference game of the season.
Â
UP NEXT
The Highlanders final home weekend series is coming up this weekend against Longwood. Saturday will feature Senior Day, but the series is currently scheduled to go at Friday 4 p.m.
Â
Follow Softball on Social Media
For more information on the Radford softball team, follow @RadfordSoftball on Twitter and Instagram or Radford Softball on Facebook.
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
P/1B
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P/1B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
1B/OF
/ Softball
IF/OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballTeam Stats
Pitching:
W: Brianna Bailey (9-9)
L: Reeves, Malorie (2-12)
Batting:
2B: Thompson, Laura 1
3B: Smith, Rachel 1
HR: Shedrick, Kari 1
RBI: Shedrick, Kari 1 ; Breidt, Taylor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Smith, Rachel 2 ; Shedrick, Kari 1
SB: Roberts, Lexie 1 ; Smith, Rachel 1
CS: Shedrick, Kari 1
Batting:
2B: Cameron Young 1 ; Sara Muir 1 ; Jasmine Sanchez 1
RBI: Sara Muir 1 ; Emily Musco 1 ; Makenzie Henderson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cameron Young 2 ; Riley Nayadley 1 ; Jasmine Sanchez 1
SB: Kasidy Dunn 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
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