Skip To Main Content

Radford University Athletics

Home Of The RadFord Highlanders RadFord Highlanders
Groves
Ethan Neal
6
Winner Radford RAD 1-0
1
Central Arkansas UCA 3-3
Winner
Radford RAD
1-0
6
Final
1
Central Arkansas UCA
3-3
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Radford RAD 0 0 4 0 1 1 0 6 9 1
Central Arkansas UCA 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 2

W: Cooper, Morgan (1-0) L: RUNNER, Bailie (0-1)

5
Winner Radford RAD 2-0
1
IU Indy IUI 3-3
Winner
Radford RAD
2-0
5
Final
1
IU Indy IUI
3-3
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Radford RAD 1 0 0 0 1 2 1 5 11 2
IU Indy IUI 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 1

W: Redmon, Dakota (1-0) L: ROUSH, Lily (0-1)

Game Recap: Softball |

Softball Posts Pair of Quality Wins to Open 2026 Campaign

TROY, Ala. –After being washed out last weekend, Radford (2-0) wasted no time debuting their 2026 campaign with a pair of wins Friday. The Highlanders first dispatched Central Arkansas 6-1 before turning around and immediately defeating IU Indy 5-1.
 
KEY STATS
  • Morgan Cooper and Dakota Redmon combined for 14 innings pitched, 12 strikeouts, and just one earned run. Coming in, IU Indy and Central Arkansas were averaging 7.2 and 5.6 runs per game, respectively.
  • The freshmen Malli Groves (3 hits, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 runs) and Peyton Simmons (4 hits, 1 RBI, 1 run) each had great Highlander debuts.
  • Abby Bossler also had a big day at the plate, tallying two doubles with a multi-hit game against IU Indy.
  • Radford has won back-to-back games to begin a season for the fourth time in the last ten seasons, last doing so in 2024.
 
GAME ONE
After a sluggish start to the day against Central Arkansas saw the team go down 1-0 early, the Highlanders bounced back quickly to back up a dominant showing from Morgan Cooper. After the first six Highlanders were retired in order, Kelley Feigen kicked off the third inning with a double to ignite the offense.
 
After Abby Bossler walked to put two on, Peyton Simmons delivered her first big hit for the Highlanders with an RBI double to tie the game at 1-1. With two runners in scoring position, Malli Groves would record her first career hit and RBI in one swing, singling home two runners to give Radford the 3-1 advantage.
 
Radford would tack on one more before the inning ended thanks to an error, giving Cooper three runs to work with in her half of the inning. The junior would retire six straight, not allowing another baserunner until the fifth inning.
 
In the top of the fifth, the Highlanders tacked on another run all thanks to Bossler. A double and two wild pitches saw her clear the bases, making it a 5-1 lead. While the Bears got a baserunner via a bunt in the bottom half, Cooper shut things down quickly to preserve the lead.
 
Radford would get one more in the sixth thanks to some clutch hitting from Klara Van Beuge. Pinch hitting with two outs, Van Beuge roped a single down the right field line to score Amanda Lee who doubled to begin the inning. Now ahead by five it was smooth sailing for Cooper the rest of the way as she kept Central Arkansas quiet for the eventual 6-1 win.
 
GAME TWO
Staying hot into the second game of the day against IU Indy, Groves kept slugging crushing her first home run to give Radford a 1-0 lead in the first inning. IU Indy would strike back in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 1-all where it would stand until the midway point of the game.
 
Dakota Redmon settled in after a wild first frame to dominate the rest of the way. Redmon tossed quiet second, third and fourth innings with four strikeouts to allow the offense to get Radford back out front in the fifth.
 
Grace Bechtol began the fifth with a walk while Simmons tallied an infield single to put a pair on. Groves came through for Radford once again, scoring Bechtol off an RBI groundout. Redmon went back to work in the bottom half, striking out three batters to keep the 2-1 lead.
 
Radford immediately took advantage of an error in the sixth as Bossler doubled in Lee to extend the lead. After Redmon singled, Bechtol brought in another run with an infield single that made it 4-1 Radford.
 
A timely double play kept IU Indy off the scoreboard in the sixth allowing Radford to add one more thanks to Bossler singling home Lee. The 5-1 lead would be more than enough as Redmon worked through an easy seventh to seal Radford's second win of the day.
 
UP NEXT
Radford will look to stay hot in their second day at the Cardinal Clash tomorrow afternoon where they take on Central Arkansas at 12:30 p.m. (ET)/11:30 p.m. (CT) and the weekend hosts Troy at 6:30 p.m. (ET)/5:30 p.m. (CT).
 
STAY SOCIAL WITH RADFORD SOFTBALL
For all the latest on Radford Softball, be sure to follow the team on X (@RadfordSoftball), Instagram (@radfordsoftball), and "like" the team's official Facebook Page (Radford Softball).
 
#RiseAndDefend
 
Print Friendly Version
Skip To Footer