BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - Trailing 7-6 entering the bottom of the seventh, Rachel Cumiskey scored the tying run on a hard hit ball by Savannah Burns that was misplayed by Radford's third baseman Casey Burns, and Megan Champion hit a walk-off double to lift Gardner-Webb softball team a 7-6 victory over Radford in a Big South Conference matchup on Friday evening at Crest High School.
With the victory, Gardner-Webb improves to 13-30 overall and goes to 5-17 in Big South Play, while Radford falls to 11-30 and 6-11 in conference.
Looking to jump out to a quick lead, Megan Honaker and Whitney Davis hit back-to-back singles to start off a potential rally. The Highlanders would take advantage of the opportunity as Casey Burns hit a ground ball to Megan Champion who tossed it to Savannah Burns, who attempted to throw the ball to first for the double play, but her throw hit Davis and allowed Honaker to score the go-ahead run.
Gardner-Webb though would answer right back in the bottom of the inning. Megan Gibbons put together a great at-bat, as she was down 0-2 in the count, but rocketed a double to right center, and was rewarded for her patience at the plate, tying the game at two for the Dogs on an RBI single by Cumiskey.
Both teams would be sent down in order in the second inning, but Nia Chiles took a pitch and launched it over the outfield fence to give the lead right back to Radford. The Highlanders proceeded to load the bases later in the inning with just one out and looked as if they were poised for a big inning, but Summar Darnell got Kayla Bishton to pop out to Kellie Beres for the second out of the inning. Mackenzie Blackwell came-thru plating two runs on a single and Radford would take a 4-1 lead heading into the home-half of the third.
The Runnin' Bulldogs answered the Radford three-run third with a run of their own as Taylar Pridgen scored on a sacrifice fly by Cumiskey.
The Highlanders however would get the run right back in the top of the fourth, scoring the run on a solo-shot by Summer Robinson.
Ashley Wark replaced Darnell on the mound for the Dogs to begin the fifth and managed to hold the Highlanders scoreless, as the game would head into the bottom of the inning.
With two-outs and Jill Blank on second base, Gibbons drove Blank home on her second double of the game to cut the deficit to 4-2.
Radford had a great opportunity to increase the lead once again in the sixth, loading the bases with two-outs, but Wark made a great pitch to Kayla Bishton who hit a fly ball that was caught by Blank to end the inning, as the Dogs would escape the jam without surrendering a run.
Trailing by two, Gardner-Webb would have runners on second and third with one out, as Amanda Gomes singled and Burns followed with a single of her own and advanced to second base on a throwing error by Becky Mantel, which allowed Gomes to move up to third base. Coach Tom Cole went to his bench to substitute the speedy baserunner Breanna Blakley to pinch run for Gomes. Following the substitution, Champion drove home two runs to tie the game at five.
All tied at five entering the seventh inning, Radford had a runner on second with two-outs and Nia Chiles came up huge with an RBI single to put Radford ahead by one run heading into the final at-bats for the Dogs.
Cumsikey led off the inning with a single, but Scarlett Harris and Gomes would each record an out, as the Dogs trailed by one run and were down to their final out. Burns, the senior shortstop, hit a hard grounder to Casey Burns, who bobbled the ball, allowing Cumsikey to score the tying run. The crowd still cheering from the previous at-bat, Champion used the momentum to hit a walk-off double to right center, which scored Burns to send Gardner-Webb to the dramatic 7-6 comeback victory.
Wark earned her third career victory pitching in relief of Darnell. Wark scattered five hits over the final three innings and allowed just one run for the win.
Gardner-Web and Radford return to action tomorrow when they will play a doubleheader at Crest High School that is slated for a 1:00 p.m. start.
