Felix Ties Victory Record as Highlanders Split with Virginia

Radford Ties Single-Season Home Run Record in Game Two

Radford, Va. - Radford (30-21) recorded back-to-back 30 win seasons for the first time in school history and sophomore Breanna Felix (Spring Valley, Calif.) tied the single-season victory record in game one as the Highlanders split with Virginia this afternnoon from Dedmon Center Field.

Virginia (23-26) used a five-run sixth (back-to-back-to-back home runs) to rally past RU in game two. The Highlanders won game one, 4-2, while the Cavaliers took game two, 6-2. In game two, Radford tied the school record for home runs with their 27th of the season.

Game One

Game Two

In game one, Felix allowed four hits, struck out five and did not walk a batter for her record tying 20th victory of the season. Freshman Ashley Carlson (Chesapeake, Va.) led the 11-hit attack, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored. It was her first three-hit game as a Highlander.

The team traded runs in the first inning. A one out bunt single by Elea Crockett, followed by a RBI double to left center by Sara Larquier put the Hoos up 1-0. Radford responded in the bottom half of the inning getting three straight single with one. The third by freshman Ashley Taylor (Ringgold, Va.) plated freshman Carlson from third with the tying run.

Radford scored three runs in the third to take a 4-1 lead. Carlson and senior Ashley Smith (Roanoke, Va.) led off with singles. Taylor sacrifice attempt was misplayed by Larquier, allowing Carlson to score and Smith and Taylor to move to second and third. Junior Amanda Walling followed with a RBI groundout to shortstop and junior Danielle Tompkins (Equality, Ill.) singled in between third and short to score Taylor.

After Kathryn Mirras led off the third with a bunt single, Felix bore down and retired the next 12 batters. The streak ended as Larquier led off the seventh with a homerun to cut the lead to 4-2, but Felix settled down and recorded the final three outs for her record tying victory.

Smith and Tompkins each had two hits for the Highlanders. Larquier went 2-for-3 with two RBI for the Hoos. Cody Tolar suffered the loss, allowing three earned runs and 10 hits in 5.2 innings of work. She struck out three and did not walk a batter. Erin Horn finished the game in the circle, allowing one hit and striking out one in .2 innings of relief.

In game two, Radford jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning as Taylor led off with a solo home run to left, tying the school record for team round trippers. Walling doubled to left center and was moved to third by a sacrifice by Tompkins. She scored on a bloop single to right by junior Morgan Nicholas (Fairfax, Va.).

Taylor started strong on the mound for RU, retiring the first 11 batters and 16 of 17 before UVa’s five-run two-out rally in the sixth.

Larquier broke up the perfect game bid in the fourth with a solo blast to right. In the sixth, Taylor retired the first two batters and had two strikes on Jessica Taylor, but Taylor lined a 1-2 pitch up the middle to extend the inning. Crockett beat out a grounder to short and Larquier put the Hoos up for good with a towering home run over the left field foul pole. Jenn Wynn blasted the next pitch deep over the centerfield fence and Whitney Holstun followed suit with a line drive homer to right.

Larquier finished the game 2-for-3 with four RBI and two runs scored. Radford recorded seven hits by seven different players.

Erin Horn earned the complete game victory, striking out eight and walking one batter. Taylor, who also went the distance, fell to 9-9, giving up seven hits and striking out seven without walking a batter.

Radford hosts Charleston Southern Saturday at 1 pm.