Highlanders Fall to Gardner Webb an Virginia Tech

Gardner Webb Box
Tech Box Score

Blacksburg, Va. - Radford dropped both games on the second day of the Virginia Tech Round Robin Tournament. They fell to Gardner-Webb, 3-2 in eight innings and Virginia Tech 15-0 in five innings. The Highlanders fall to 7-28 on the season.

In game one, Gardner Webb’s Hill singled home from second with two outs in the eighth inning to defeat Radford University in the first game at the Virginia Tech Round Robin Tournament. The Highlanders had opportunities the entire game as they pounded out 13 hits but left 13 runners on base. RU will play Tech at 3 p.m.

RU had an opportunity in the top of the eight. With the tiebreaker rule, pinch runner Teresa Brewer (Woodbridge, Va.) was placed on second base to start the inning. She was picked off on the second pitch of the inning. After a groundout, the Highlanders loaded the bases, but Donita Brady (Virginia Beach, Va.) grounded out to second to end the threat.

For the Highlanders, the one-two combination of Ashleigh Brooks (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Brady went 7 for 10. Brooks was 3 for 5, reaching base all five at-bats, while Brady was 4 for 5 with four infield singles, and a run. Kelly Miles (Huntington, Md.) also had a stellar game, going 3 for 4 with a double.

The Bulldogs scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to grab a 2-0 lead. Radford tied things up in the top of the seventh. After three singles with one out, Ashley Smith (Roanoke, Va.) knocked in a pair with a double, her tenth of the season, to deep right. After Payton Nash (Woodbridge, Va.) walked to reload the bases, GW got out of the inning with a strikeout and a line out to third.

For the second straight day, the Hokies jumped out to a big lead after two innings and cruised to the victory. VT pounded out 23 hits, a new school record. Shanel Garofalo went 5 for 5 with a home run, four RBI and four runs scored.

This time Tech got to the Highlanders for four in the first and five in the second. They would add three more in the third and the fourth for the final tally. Nash provided RU with their only hit, a bloop single in the fourth.

The Highlanders return home on April 1 when they host Howard at 1:00 p.m.