No. 3 Radford Scores 3-2 Walk-Off Win Over No. 6 Winthrop
RADFORD, Va. – Five of Radford's nine hits came in the seventh inning, providing two runs to score, which gave it a 3-2 walk off win over No. 6 Winthrop in the opening round of the Big South Championship on Wednesday.
BOX SCORE
Down 2-1 in the seventh inning with a runner at third and one out, Marissa Yow provided a seeing-eye single through the left side. The single allowed Hunter Mundy, who led off the innig with a double, to score from third and tie the game at two.
Lauren Maddrey and Marissa Gagliano both reached with infield singles and loaded the bases with one out. After an infield pop up, Talia Douglas – who was .333 (2-for-6) with the bases loaded – ripped a ball down the left field that propelled Radford to a 3-2 walk-off win as pinch-runner, Callie Morgan, came into score to game-winning run.
The Highlanders trailed 2-0 heading into the sixth inning but cut the lead in half after Douglas plated Sofia Tapia with an RBI single up the middle. Tapia initiated the inning with a double to right center field and scored from second on the ensuing at-bat. The sophomore's run cut the lead in half, 2-1.
Huffman pitched a stellar game and picked up her seventh complete game of the season. She allowed two runs, none earned, and both came in the third inning. After an error prolonged the inning, the Eagles had two runners on base with two outs. Ansley Gilreath hit a single to left field that scored the two runners on base and gave Winthrop a 2-0 lead.
Radford stayed in the game with some nice defensive plays, including two inning-ending double plays. The most important one came in the top of the seventh inning that kept the deficit at one and allowed the Highlanders to come through with a walk-off win.
The win places the Highlanders in the winners' bracket and a meeting with No. 2 Longwood at 2:30 p.m., on Thursday.