Despite out-hitting the Highlanders, 7-6, the Presbyterian College softball team stranded five runners en route to a 3-1 loss to Radford in the first game of a doubleheader this afternoon at the PC Softball Complex. The Blue Hose gave up 14 hits in the second game, falling 11-3 in five innings, as the Highlanders took the sweep.
The Blue Hose dropped to 20-10-1 overall and 5-5 in the Big South. The Highlanders improved to 24-13, 5-2.
Presbyterian College scored in the bottom of the first inning of game one, to take the early 1-0 lead. Morgan Durham (Simpsonville, S.C.), who led the team with a four-for-five effort in two games, doubled to right field with one out to send home Lindsey Trombley (Ridgeway, S.C.) from first.
Radford responded with a two-run home run in the third inning by Kristen Shifflett and added an insurance run in the fifth with a RBI single by Taylor Cunningham to take the 3-1 lead, that would hold for the remainder of the game.
Leslie Hensley (Cheraw, S.C.) pitched the entire game for PC, giving up three earned runs off six hits for the loss (13-5). Jackie Jenkins came in relief for RU and threw 5.2 shutout innings to take the win (10-2).
Radford hit a two-run home run in the first, a three-run home run and a solo shot in the second and added another home run in the fifth to roll to the 11-3 win. Nicholle Beal, who had the three-run home run in the second, added a two-RBI single in the third to lead the team with five RBI.
Codee Yeske (Lexington, S.C.) gave the Blue Hose a highlight in the second inning with a two-RBI double down the left field line. Leslie Hensley added another RBI for PC with a single in the third inning that drove in Trombley.
Stephanie Dameron, who started both games on the mound for Radford, picked up the win (10-3) in the second game after scattering seven hits and giving up just three runs (one earned). Brittany Howell (Concrete, Wash.) went the distance for PC, giving up eight earned runs for her fifth loss of the season (7-5).
PC takes on Radford Sunday, April 10 at 1 p.m., in the final game of the series. Sunday's game is designated as a "Strike Out Breast Cancer" Game. ZTA is sponsoring the event and will have a table set up at the stadium promoting breast cancer awareness. Breast Cancer survivor Brandy Handley will throw out the first pitch and the team will wear pink uniform tops.
