No. 4 GWU Falls To No. 1 Radford, 5-2, on Thursday Afternoon at the 2010 Big South Softball Championship
May 13, 2010 | Softball
Conway, S.C. - Gardner-Webb took a 2-1 lead in the third on a two-run home run off the bat of McKenzie Morenus, yet couldn't muster up any other offense as the Lady Bulldogs fell to the No. 1 seeded Radford Highlanders 5-2 on Thursday afternoon at the 2010 Big South Softball Championship presented by Musco Sports Lighting.
Radford got on the board first in the bottom of the first, as First-Team All-Conference selection Sarah Himan hit a two out double to left center and then scored on a Shannon Keefe single down the left field line to put the high seed up one early at 1-0.
Gardner-Webb took its first lead of the game in the top of the third, as First-Team All-Conference selection Morenus hit a line drive home run to center field to plate two and push the visitors in front 2-1.
The Highlanders threatened in the bottom half of the third, putting runners on second and third with only one out. However, GWU starter Cindy Boomhower got the next two Radford batters to pop out to third and strike out swinging to halt the Highlanders threat and keep the Lady Bulldogs in front by one at 2-1.
Yet Radford broke through in the bottom half of the fourth, as the Highlanders scored three runs on two hits, two walks and a GWU error to pull out to a two run lead at 4-2 after four innings of play.
The Lady Bulldogs looked to get those runs back in the top of the fifth, as sophomore outfielder Kelly Montgomery led off the inning with a single to left center. After the next two GWU hitters made outs, senior Christa Fullwood drew a two out walk to put runners on first and second. However, Morenus, who was 2-2 heading into the at bat, popped out to the second-baseman down the right field line to end the inning.
Radford added an insurance run by way of a Kristen Shifflett solo home run in the sixth to pull away with a 5-2 win.
GWU's Boomhower (8-12) picked up the loss, as she allowed four runs on seven hits and three walks over 3.2 innings of work.
Radford's Chelsea Kelley (22-7) got the win, as the First-Team All-Conference selection surrendered only two runs on six hits, while striking out a career-high nine batters in the complete game win.
For GWU offensively, Morenus was 2-3 with a home run, two RBIs and a run scored, while Montgomery and Savage for each 1-3 on the day.
For Radford, catcher Sarah Himan was 3-3 with a triple, a double, two RBIs and a run scored, while Shannon Keefe was 2-3 with an RBI and Shifflett was 1-3 with a home run and two runs scored.
With the 8-3 morning win over No. 5 Charleston Southern and the 2-1 afternoon loss to No. 1 Radford, the Lady Bulldogs moved to 22-31 on the year.
Gardner-Webb will return to action tomorrow morning, Friday, May 14, as the Lady Bulldogs will take on the No. 6 seeded and host Coastal Carolina at 11:30 a.m. in an elimination game at the CCU Softball Field in Conway, S.C.
###
| Box Score: No. 1 Radford 5, No. 4 Gardner-Webb 2 |
