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Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
RachelSmith
Rob Simmons
2
Winner Radford RAD 13-16
1
Gardner-Webb GWU 15-13
Winner
Radford RAD
13-16
2
Final
1
Gardner-Webb GWU
15-13
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
Radford RAD 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 8 2
Gardner-Webb GWU 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 7 1

W: Redmon, Dakota (6-5) L: FRYE, H. (7-4)

Game Recap: Softball |

Pair of Homers and Strong Debut by Redmon Earn Softball Win in Big South Opener

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Radford softball program got a pair of huge solo home runs from Amanda Lee and Rachel Smith plus a great showing from starting pitcher Dakota Redmon to earn a 2-1 eight-inning victory at Gardner-Webb in the team's Big South opener Friday afternoon.
 
KEY STATS
  • The win marks the first time since 2016 the Highlanders have won their Big South opener.
  • Smith and Lee combined for the first multi-homer game by Radford this season.
  • Redmon's eight innings were career-high for the freshman, and the most innings thrown in a single game by a Radford pitcher so far this season.
  • Radford has now won three straight extra innings games, and is 3-1 in extras this season.
 
PLAY BY PLAY
The Highlanders took off right away in Friday's contest thanks to a big swing from Lee, opening the game with her first career home run down the left field line. Redmon earned the starting nod and kept the quick pace rolling early with a 1-2-3 first inning.
 
An error allowed Abby Bossler to reach to start the second as Amber Wolfe also added a hit. The Highlanders came up empty, and Gardner-Webb would respond with two baserunners of their own in the bottom half. Redmon didn't falter retiring two straight with two on to keep the Runnin' Bulldogs scoreless.
 
The hits kept rolling in the third as Cassi Barbato and Rachel Smith each earned singles, but with two outs the rally halted there. Redmon picked up a strikeout in another three-up, three-down frame in the bottom half.
 
In the fourth, the Highlanders kept squaring up the ball for two more hits from Grace Hogie and Kelley Feigen. The Highlanders failed to execute a timing play trying to snatch a second run, keeping it a 1-0 ball game.
 
Redmon kept cruising through the fourth inning as Radford's offense was retired in order for the first time in the fifth. Redmon responded in kind, only allowing a baserunner via error in the bottom of the fifth but kept things scoreless.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs threatened with two more baserunners in the sixth. With two outs already in the inning, Redmon was able to calmly retire the third out preserving the 1-0 lead. Two more baserunners would in the top of the seventh for Radford, but once again the Highlanders weren't able to cash in that pivotal insurance run.
 
Gardner-Webb was down to their final out in the bottom of the seventh, but a timely hit allowed the tying run to score. Redmon stood strong to end the inning and send things to extras.
 
Needing a spark, it was R. Smith who provided for the Highlanders. The senior leader roped a deep home run to dead center field to put Radford back ahead 2-1. The bottom of the eighth saw no issues for Redmon who shut the game down retiring three straight for the 2-1 final.
 
UP NEXT
Radford will go for the series victory tomorrow afternoon with a doubleheader set to start at 1 p.m. against Gardner-Webb. Both games are set to be streamed on ESPN+.
 
Follow Softball on Social Media
For more information on the Radford softball team, follow @RadfordSoftball on X and Instagram or Radford Softball on Facebook.
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