RADFORD, Va. – Although the Presbyterian College softball team secured one of their better offensive efforts of the season in the last of a three-game set at Radford on Saturday afternoon, the Blue Hose ultimately fell victim to a sweep by respective scores of 10-2 and 12-9.

PC put up a strong fight in the finale against the reigning Big South Conference champions, but couldn't wrestle away the victory in a game that featured 21 combined runs and five homers.

Following this weekend's visit to Virginia, the Scotsmen sit at 2-4 in league outings and 13-21 as a whole.

Head coach David Williams' lineup sliced a late six-run deficit in half with a couple of dingers by Avery Robinson and Audrey Burton in the 7^th. Four PC players had multiple hits in the shootout.

Presbyterian returns home this Wednesday for a one-off versus College of Charleston, starting at 3:00 on the first day of April. They will then shift their focus to Longwood, who visits on Easter weekend in the next divisional series.


 
NOTABLES

 
- There were 19 total hits in Game 3 as PC tried to avoid the sweep, although a mid-game 7-0 run from the Highlanders made that goal a challenging one.

- It was the highest-scoring contest that the Blue Hose have participated in all season and the most combined runs in a Big South matchup since all the way back in 2019 (a slim win over Gardner-Webb in Williams' first season with the program).

- Altogether, there were five separate half-innings that featured at least three runs in the series closer. This was a noticeable shift from a mostly pedestrian first two games in terms of offensive statistics.

- Senior outfielder Gracie DeCuir landed three hits in a sole game for the third time in her career (joining similar efforts against Norfolk State and Appalachian State in years past). She doubled in the 7^th and later came home on Robinson's longball.

- Burton has now hit one home run in each of the team's first two Big South sequences with Winthrop and Radford. The squad now has 11 homers this spring.

- The Blue Hose frustrated reigning league Pitcher of the Year Dakota Redmon after she one-hit them yesterday, piling up eight runs on eight hits along with four walks before she exited.


 
GAME TWO – Radford def. Presbyterian, 10-2 (Five Innings)

 
- Radford clinched the series victory with a game-ending 6-0 spurt to begin the doubleheader, determined to not plunge down the conference standings after getting swept by USC Upstate earlier this month.

- Trailing 4-0 going into the 5^th, PC started to dig out of that hole with a pair of RBI doubles by shortstop Baxleigh Arnette and freshman Jessica Wilson.

- The Highlanders responded with a six-spot in the bottom half of that same inning, ending the game prematurely and pinning the loss on Robinson who tossed the first four frames.


 
GAME THREE – Radford def. Presbyterian, 12-9
 

- It seemed that the home side had a counter strike for whatever the Blue Hose threw at them on Saturday, as an early 2-0 edge by PC was erased with seven unanswered scores.

- Coach Williams' group reenergized in the 4^th with a two-run single by rookie Ava Coggins. PC pulled to within two thanks to a passed ball, and trimmed the lead even further to 7-6 after Coggins sprinted home before a fly ball in foul territory was caught.

- Just as they had done all weekend, however, the Highlanders rebuilt a steady lead with consecutive home runs and an RBI-double. Their reward was the largest advantage of the game (12-6).

- Presby managed to get in eight at-bats over the final inning in an attempt to keep the game alive, although reliever Madison Sabo stranded two runners with a game-ending strikeout to confirm the sweep.

- Freshman Hali Duke notched one hit in either half of the DH, making it 24 consecutive games that either she or classmate Cierra Grice have had at least one knock between them.