RADFORD, Va. – A three-run sixth inning backed a dominant outing from Radford starter Abby Morrow and led the Highlanders past the Longwood softball team, 4-1, on day two of the Big South Championship Thursday afternoon at Radford Softball Stadium.
 
With the loss, Longwood returns to the field Friday, May 11 at noon to face the winner of an elimination game between Campbell and Gardner-Webb.
 
"We have to show some mental toughness," said Longwood head coach Kathy Riley. "We have to come out and believe that we can win a championship. We are the three-time champion and that's what we need to act like."
 
Thursday's loss marks the third time in six seasons that the Lancers have dropped their opening game of the tournament, including bouncing back to win the tournament following its opening round loss to Liberty in 2013. Thursday's loss to Radford (35-17) ends a streak of 20 consecutive wins that Longwood (37-15) had piled up against the Highlanders since joining the Big South.
 
"We didn't hit well and we didn't pitch as well as we needed to today and because of that we weren't able to create the energy necessary in order to come out with a win today," Riley said.
 
After a bases loaded walk issued by Sydney Gay handed Radford the go-ahead run and a 2-1 lead, Hannah Medlam delivered a two-run single – one of two hits in the game for her – to give the Highlanders a pair of insurance runs.
 
Morrow (22-11) gave up one run on seven hits while striking out one batter and throwing 84 pitches, 55 for strikes.
 
The All-Big South Honorable Mention selection outdueled All-Big South First Team selection Gay in the circle, as Gay (25-10) gave up four runs on five hits while walking a pair. She also added five strikeouts in the outing, retiring 11 in a row from the second through sixth innings.
 
Radford was able to overcome a pair of two-hit days from Krista Kelly – who reached base three times – and Karleigh Donovan, who delivered an RBI double to drive in Kaylynn Batten before play was halted for a one hour, seven minute weather delay.
 
With the pair of hits, Donovan has notched a pair of hits in eight of her nine games with four multi-hit games in that stretch.
 
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