HIGHLANDERS SWEEP TOLEDO; EXTEND WINNING STREAK TO EIGHT GAMES

Hannah Ojeda Records Six RBI in Game One

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Playing close to home, Hannah Ojeda (Tampa, Fla./Tallahassee CC) knocked in six runs in game one as Radford went on to sweep a mid-week doubleheader against Toledo and extend its winning streak to eight games, Wednesday afternoon from the Eddie C. Moore Complex.
 
The Highlanders (10-6), who registered 22 hits in the twinbill, defeated the Rockets by the scores of 9-1 and 8-3.

Along with Ojeda’s stellar game one performance, Lauren Williams (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) and Jessie Hutchens (Berwyn, Ill./Riverside Brookfield) recorded five and four hits, respectively, in the two games.
 
Williams, who reached base in her final six plate appearances, was 5-for-6 with two RBI and two stolen bases, while Hutchens went 4-for-6 with two runs and a RBI.
 
In game one, Ojeda, a nearby Plant High School product, was 2-for-2 with a triple and six RBI as Radford recorded 10 hits in the 9-1 victory.
 
After Toledo (1-11) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom the first, Radford wasted little time with three runs in the top of the second and two more in the third.
 
Ojeda put the Highlanders on the board with a two-run triple in the second and forced in another run with a base loaded walk in the third. Williams recorded an RBI single in each frame.
 
Radford added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings which included Ojeda’s sac fly. The junior outfielder capped off her performance with two-run single in the seventh.
 
Jackie Jenkins (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) picked up the win in five innings of work. After a tough first frame (1 run, 3 hits), she settled down and allowed three hits and no runs over her final four innings. She also struck out two.
 
Senior Kellie Snooks (Alsip, Ill./Marist) tossed two innings of shutout relief with one punchout.

Highlighted by a seven-run third, Radford rallied past Toledo for the 8-3 victory. The Highlanders recorded 12 hits and swiped seven bags, tying a single-game record, for a total of 10 on the day.

Williams, Jessica Agee (Louisa, Va./Louisa County) and Ryndee Ruch (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) all recorded two steals.
 
Just as it did in game one, Toledo jumped on Radford in the top of the first as Lindsey Tobias launched a two-out three-run home run to give the Rockets an early 3-0 lead.
 
The Highlanders responded with a seven-run third in which they scored all their runs before an out was recorded.

In its biggest inning of the year, Radford registered six hits, walked twice and stole four bases. The big blow was a bases clearing double by Taylor Cunningham (Fairfax, Va./Robinson Secondary) that plated three runs and tied the game up.

The next batter, Eye, put Radford up for good, following Cunningham with a RBI double. It was the first of two for the sophomore, who extended her hitting streak to eight games.

Three of Radford’s final four runs came on RBI singles by Ruch, Hutchens and Meredith Moore (Roanoke, Va./Cave Spring).


Freshman Stephanie Dameron (Dameron, Md./St. Mary’s Ryken) earned the win with 5.1 innings of two-hit shutout relief.


Williams was 3-for-3 at the plate and reached base in all four at bats. Eye and Hutchens each had a pair of hits with Eye scoring a pair of runs.
 
Radford returns to action this weekend at the USF Under Armour Classic. In their second “Spring Break” tournament, the Highlanders will open up with La Salle and No. 16/20 Nebraska on Friday, March 11 at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Radford will also face off against Connecticut, Long Island and Robert Morris.