RADFORD, VA - Chasing a spot in next month's Big South Tournament, the Gardner-Webb softball team jumps back into league play on April 17th and 18th with a key Big South series at Radford

SERIES INFORMATION
Gardner-Webb (26-19, 4-5 Big South) at Radford (19-22, 6-6 Big South)
Game One: Friday, 4 pm - ESPN Plus
Game Two: Saturday, 12 pm - ESPN Plus
Game Three: Saturday, 2 pm - ESPN Plus

LAST TIME OUT: Gardner-Webb split its non-conference road series at Western Carolina on Tuesday night. After dropping the opener, GWU combined a strong pitching performance with the right amount of offense in a 6-1 victory

LAST MEETING: Gardner-Webb and Radford met last March in Boiling Springs, with the Highlanders securing a series sweep. The Runnin' Bulldogs lost the middle game 5-0, sandwiched between a pair of tight, 2-1 losses. The series opener went eight innings, with GWU rallying in the bottom of the seventh before an eventual defeat

PLAYER TO WATCH: Senior designated player Alli Stidham is key for GWU. Stidham is coming off an impressive two-way weekend for Gardner-Webb, tossing 15.0 innings, striking out 17 total while also hitting .500 (5-for-10) with a pair of doubles and two runs scored against PC. First on Friday, Stidham pitched a complete game, seven hit shutout with six strikeouts in the series opener against PC, she then followed with 8.0 innings in the series finale with 11 strikeouts while also going 3-for-3 at the plate. Stidham was excellent in the Dawgs win at Western Carolina on Tuesday as well, pitching a complete game and allowing just one run

KEY IN THE LINEUP: The Dawgs have each of the top three leaders in batting average in the Big South behind senior shortstop Annicka McLaughlin (.416) and Stidham (.404), but perhaps has nobody been as impressive as senior first baseman Maggie Knight. Knight is hitting .410 this season for Gardner-Webb, with a 1.063 OPS, .556 slugging, 48 hits, 11 doubles, and a pair of home runs. In the 11 conference games so far, Knight is hitting an even more impressive .452 with 14 hits, 12 RBIs, and a .513 on base percentage

BIG BOPPERS: The Runnin' Bulldogs have been impressive on offense all season and it continues to show both in conference and nationally. GWU entered the week leading Big South in both team batting average (.349) and hits (424), while ranking 18th and 3rd in NCAA Division I respectively. GWU remains well on pace to reset the program single season team batting average record of .312, set in 2018

STANDINGS UPDATE: Radford and Gardner-Webb enter this weekend separated by one game in the Big South standings. The Highlanders 6-6 league record is enough to give them the current No. 4 seed, while the Runnin' Bulldogs remain tied for the No. 5 seed with Presbyterian at 5-7. Longwood, currently No. 3, remains in reach for both sides this weekend, as the Lancers host Winthrop and begin the weekend at 7-5. Presbyterian meanwhile prepares to host Charleston Southern.