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Softball
Bats Fall Silent in Loss to Radford
April 3, 2018
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A tough break cut short a first-inning rally and Virginia (11-25) could not recover as Radford (18-12) earned a 12-1 victory at The Park on Tuesday (April 3).
Radford scored a pair of unearned runs in the top of the first, capitalizing on a muffed throw that extended the inning. The Highlanders had just one hit in the frame, but the error and a pair of walks helped build the 2-0 lead.
Virginia responded by loading the bases and scoring a single run in the bottom half. Allison Davis (Oak Hill, Va.) singled to open the Cavaliers’ day at the plate before Danni Ingraham (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) doubled off the wall to put runners at second and third. A pair of walks, the latter by Erika Osherow (Darien, Conn.), plated a run.
The Hoos, however, fell victim to an odd break that ended the inning on a line drive that skipped into the glove of the Radford left fielder. All runners froze as no signal was made on the potential catch, allowing Radford to throw home and on to third for a double play.
The 2-1 score held until the fifth when Radford used a pair of walks and a two-out home run to extend its lead to 5-1. The Highlanders sealed the game with a seven-run seventh, which included their second, three-run home run of the game.
Janelle Zellars (Forest, Va.) took the loss in her first career start. Zellars (1-1) worked the first three innings and did not allow an earned run, but an error led to two Highlander runs in the first. The left-hander returned in the seventh and surrendered three runs. Her final line read 3 1/3 innings with five runs, three earned, on five hits.
Abby Morrow (12-7) earned the win in relief for Radford. The Highlander ace worked the final five innings and scattered three hits.
UP NEXT
Virginia returns to ACC action when the Cavaliers travel to Louisville for a three-game set this weekend. The series opener is slated for a 4 p.m. first pitch on Friday (April 6).