Radford hit a grand slam in the first inning to jump out ahead early and stay there to earn the 11-0 win in five innings over the Presbyterian College softball team this afternoon in Radford, Va. The win gives the Highlanders the 3-0 regular-season sweep over the Blue Hose.
PC drops to 19-19 overall and 4-8 in the Big South, while Radford improves to 12-19, 6-3. The Blue Hose are next in action when they host USC Upstate Tuesday, April 8, in a single game starting at 4 p.m.
The first three batters reached base in the first inning for Radford, two of them advancing off hit by pitches. Whitney Davis, who hit a three-run home run in the second game yesterday, knocked a grand slam over the center field wall, giving the Highlanders a 4-0 lead early.
Radford added three more in the bottom of the second, one coming off a bases loaded hit by pitch, another off a sacrifice fly from Davis. The seventh run came off a PC fielding error and Radford held the 7-0 lead after two.
A double by Summer Robinson down the left field line in the third inning, a sacrifice fly from Jessie Hutchens, and RBI singles from Davis and Kayla Bishton propelled Radford to the 11-0 lead after three innings of play.
With two outs in the top of the fourth, PC collected its first hit of the day, a single to left center by Erin Taylor. It was for naught as the next batter grounded out to the shortstop to quiet the potential rally.
Alexa Ritchie opened the fifth with a four-pitch walk to put a runner on base for just the third time in the game. Abby Allen drew a walk as well to put two runners on base with two outs, but a fielder's choice the next at-bat ended the inning, and game, with Radford taking the 11-0 win in five innings.
Rachael Walters, who picked up the win for Radford Saturday in game two, earned the win (6-8), throwing 4.1 innings in a one-hit shut-out, while striking out five.
Natasha Sherrod moved to 4-1 on the year with the loss for PC. She went one inning and gave up three earned runs off six hits. Katie Brown came in relief, going 3.0 innings, surrendering three earned runs off five hits.
Radford recorded seven hits with Davis leading the way with two of them and six RBI. Robinson also collected two hits as well for the Highlanders.
Radford 11, Presbyterian College 0 (Apr 06, 2014 at Radford, Va.)
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Presbyterian College 000 00 - 0 1 4 (19-19, 4-8 B. South)
Radford............. 434 0X - 11 7 1 (12-19, 6-3 B. South)
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Pitchers: Presbyterian College - Sherrod, Natasha; Brown, Katie(2) and Marshall, Jen. Radford -
WALTERS, R.; DAMERON, S.(5) and HUTCHENS, J.; HONAKER, M..
Win-WALTERS, R.(6-8) Loss-Sherrod, Natasha(4-1) T-1:35 A-253
HR RAD - DAVIS, W. (5).
Weather: Partly cloudy low 50s
SHERROD, N. faced 2 batters in the 2nd.
