Game 1 Box ScoreGame 2 Box Score |   

The Basics
Score: Radford 9, Western Carolina 4; Radford 6, Western Carolina 2
Records: Western Carolina 14-31, Radford 29-15
Location: Cullowhee, N.C. (Catamount Softball Complex

CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- Junior Hunter Gibbons hit a homerun in each of the games of the doubleheader to pull within two homeruns of the career record as the Catamounts fell to Radford 9-4, 6-2 Wednesday at the Catamount Softball Complex.

Turning Point
Radford used two big innings to secure the win with four runs in the third inning and five in the top of the seventh.

How it Happened
- After two scoreless innings, Radford jumped out to an early lead scoring four runs in the top of the third.
- Western Carolina cut into Radford's lead scoring a run in the bottom of the fourth. Madison Armstrong was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and went around to score off an RBI double by Kailey McNeil.
- Radford scored what turned out to be the key runs in the top of the seventh scoring five runs including a three-run homerun.
- Why was Radford's five runs in the seventh key for the Highlanders? Because of what Gibbons did in the bottom of the seventh. It all began with a one-out walk by Hayes and Ashlyn Long followed with a two-out single. Gibbons came up and launched a three-run homerun over the left field wall.

Inside the Box Score
- Freshman hurler Kayla Brewer got her second start of the season. She went three innings giving up four runs, one earned, and seven hits. She falls to 0-2 on the season.
- In the fourth inning, Brewer was replaced by fellow Kinsey Liscio who went three innings. After throwing three scoreless innings she gave up five runs on five hits in the seventh.
- Freshman pitcher Haley Brogden replaced Liscio with no outs in the top of the seventh. She faced four batters, gave up a hit and struck out two.
- Radford had 13 hits in the game while WCU had five. Long had two of Western Carolina's five hits.

Turning Point
After Western Carolina took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, Radford went on to score six unanswered runs.

How it Happened
- The Catamounts took the early 2-0 lead off one swing of the bat by Gibbons. Long hit a two-out single and Gibbons sent her home on a two-run homerun.
- Radford tied the game with a pair of runs in the third and went on to score two runs each in the sixth and seventh innings.

Inside the Box Score
- Brogden started game two and tossed her seventh complete game of the season. She gave up six runs on 11 hits, walked two and struck out four. She falls to 5-7 on the year.
- Radford hit back-to-back homeruns in the sixth inning.
- The Highlanders had 11 hits in the game and Western Carolina had four.
- Gibbons went 2-for-3 with two RBI and scored a run.

News & Notes
- With two homeruns in the doubleheader with Radford, Gibbons hits double-digit homeruns in a season for the first time in her career with 11. Her 11 homeruns this season also moves her into a tie for sixth place in the WCU record books for homeruns in a season.
- Gibbons now has 28 homeruns in her career and is just one shy of tying the Catamount record of 29 held by former Catamount Lauren Ross (2006-09).
- Gibbons did usurp Ross for career RBI as she now has 101 in her career replacing Ross who ended her career with 99. Gibbons is now chasing the number one spot set by former Catamount, and current assistant coach Taylor Sigmon, who ended her storied career with 106.

Up Next
Western Carolina returns completes its homestand this weekend hosting Mercer in a three-game Southern Conference series beginning with a doubleheader set to start at 1 p.m. Saturday.

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