Walling Keys Rally as Highs Upend Troy in 11 Innings, 6-5

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Junior Amanda Walling (Summerville, S.C.) recorded three RBI, including the game winner, as Radford rallied from three runs down in its final at bat in the seventh, and pushed across the winning run in the 11th to upend Troy, 6-5, in the third place game at the FSU Invitational. Walling, 2-for-5 at the plate, had a key double in the seventh and tied the game in the eighth as well.

The Highlanders trailed 3-0 going into the bottom of the seventh. Freshman Cassie Rhodes (Goode, Va.) led off with a double. With one out, Rhodes scored and senior Sara Beth Clayton (Chesapeake, Va.) reached second on a throwing error by the third baseman. After junior Morgan Nicholas (Fairfax, Va.) walked, Walling doubled home Clayton and Wohlgemuth tied the game with a sac fly, scoring pinch runner junior Casey Marin (Campobello, S.C.).

Freshman Ashley Taylor (Ringgold, Va.) put RU up, 4-3, on a one-out single, scoring freshman Ashley Carlson (Chespeake, Va.) from third. Troy tied it in the bottom half on a RBI single by Howren. The Highlanders, once again took the lead in the ninth tied as Walling singled home Clayton from third with one out. Troy struck again in the bottom half as Miller knocked in Dwyer with a two single up the middle.

In the 11th, Clayton, placed on second, stole third. Walling stepped up and squeezed home Clayton with the winning run. The Trojans would go down in order as sophomore Breanna Felix (Spring Valley, Calif.) struck out the final two batters. Clayton scored three runs on the day and was named to the All-Tournament team.

Felix picked up the win (13-7) in relief. She tossed the final two innings, striking out three and not allowing a hit. Taylor went the first nine innings, giving up three earned runs on 10 hits. She struck out six and walked one.

Senior Lara Wohlgemuth (Centreville, Va.) joined Clayton on the All-Tournament team. She finished the five games, going 8-20 with three doubles and nine RBI.

The Highlanders open up Big South play on Saturday when they face Texas A&M Corpus-Christi in Rock Hill, S.C. at 1 pm.