Highlanders Split with Longwood

Radford, Va. - Senior Ashley Smith’s (Roanoke, Va.) two-out double in the bottom of the seventh, chased senior Lara Wohlgemuth (Centreville, Va.) home from first with the game winning run to give Radford a 3-2 victory over Longwood and earn a split with the Lancers. Longwood won a wild game one, 9-8 in nine innings. Both teams move to 21-17 overall with the split.

In game two, Radford struck for a run in the second on Shelby Rector’s bunt single, scoring senior Sara Beth Clayton (Chesapeake, Va.), who led off the inning with a single. The Lancers evened the score in the third on a RBI single by Ryan Washington.

The Highlander reclaimed the lead in the fourth on a run-scoring single by freshman Cassie Rhodes (Goode, Va.). Longwood tied it for the second time with a two-rally in the sixth. Shamana Washington doubled to plate Caitlin Hooe from first.

In the seventh, Wohlgemuth reached on a fielding error by the second baseman with one out. After freshman Ashley Carlson (Chesapeake, Va.) was called out after the ball hit her outside the box on a bunt attempt, Smith stepped up a roped a line drive to the fence in left center. The double was the 36th of her career, moving her into third place at Radford.

Sophomore Breanna Felix (Spring Valley, Calif.) earned the win, moving her to 15-9 on the season, the second most victories in a single-season by a Highlander. She struck out three and gave up five hits and did not walk a batter. Rachel Mill suffered the loss, falling to 7-7. She allowed two earned runs on nine hits. She struck out three and walked one.

Wohlgemuth and freshman Ashley Taylor (Ringgold, Va.) each had two hits for the Highlanders. Hooe went 2-for-3 for the Lancers.

Longwood rallied from a 4-1 deficit with three runs in the sixth and barely escaped with a 9-8, nine inning victory in wild game two. The teams combined for 22 hits, eight errors and 16 runners left on base.

Junior Amanda Walling (Summerville, S.C.) went 3-for-5 with four RBI, while Wohlgemuth, Carlson and junior Danielle Tompkins (Equality, Ill.) each had two hits. The second hit was the 200th of her career. Hooe and Shamana Washington each had three hits, while Megan Camden drove in three. Hooe also scored three runs.

Radford took a 4-1 lead with three runs in the fourth and one more in the fifth. The key hit was a two-run single by junior Amanda Walling in the fourth. The Lancers plated three runs in the sixth on a wild pitch and a two-run double by Camden.

In the top of the eighth, Shamana Washington singled to put the Lancers ahead, 5-4. Then the Lancers executed three straight sac bunts to plate two more runs, giving them a 7-4 lead enter the bottom frame.

In the bottom half, Longwood recorded two quick outs but Radford would not go done quietly. Walling singled home Smith, who was placed on second. After two straight fielding errors loaded the bases, Tompkins singled up the middle to tie the game at seven. Another error loaded the bases, but pinch hitter Morgan Nicholas (Fairfax, Va.) grounded out weakly to first to end the rally.

The Lancers went up 9-7 on back-to-back two-out RBI doubles by Ryan Washington and Hooe. Once again, the Highlanders made some noise, loading the bases with no outs, courtesy of an error and a walk. Walling popped to shallow left but the fielders let it drop and Carlson was thrown out at home. Tompkins followed with an RBI single to make it 9-8, but Rhodes popped to third and Rector grounded to short to deny RU another game-tying rally.

Both pitchers went the distance. LU’s Jen Steele (14-10) picked up the win, allowing just two earned runs on 12 hits, striking out three and walking one. Taylor suffered the loss, falling to 5-6 on the season. She allowed six earned runs on 10 hits, striking out three and not walking a batter.

Walling and Wohlgemuth each had four hits in the doubleheader for the Highlanders. Hooe went 5-for-7 with four runs scored and Washington went 4-for-7 with three RBI for the Lancers.

The Highlanders return to Dedmon Center Field tomorrow, April 7 when they host East Tennessee State at 2 pm.