CHARLESTON, S.C. - Charleston Southern softball continues its eight-game homestand this weekend when it welcomes the Radford Highlanders for a three-game series Friday and Saturday at the CSU Softball Field. First pitch Friday is set for 6 p.m., while the teams will play a doubleheader Saturday starting at 1 p.m.

Weekend Schedule
Friday, March 19
Charleston Southern vs. Radford
6 p.m. * Charleston, S.C. * CSU Softball Field * Live Stats

Saturday, March 20
Charleston Southern vs. Radford (DH)
1 p.m. * Charleston, S.C. * CSU Softball Field * Live Stats

Recapping Last Weekend
The Bucs were swept by USC Upstate in their first Big South series of the season last weekend at the CSU Softball Field. CSU had late leads in two of the three games but Upstate rallied with offensive outbursts in the final two innings of both the first and last games of the weekend.

CSU had a 4-1 lead through five innings in the series opener, as Alyssa Heinrich retired 13 straight Spartan hitters at one point. Most of the Bucs' damage came in a three-run third, as Brooklynn Brewington, Sarah Brown and Katelyn Norris all scored in the inning off a throwing error. Upstate scored four in the sixth and three in the seventh and held on to take the first game, 8-6. The Spartans' Savannah Brown threw a complete game shutout in the second game of the series, scattering eight singles and a double allowed as Upstate won 5-0. SeaEnna Satcher and Dominique Mannerino each had two-RBI days in the series finale, but the visiting Spartans rallied from a 4-2 deficit with five in the seventh to win 7-4.

Brewington paced the Bucs on the offensive side with four hits and three runs across the three-game series. Satcher had three RBI's on the weekend, including a two-run homer in the third game of the series, while five different Bucs posted at least one two-hit game in the series.

Heinrich, Baylee Eaton, Holly Clark and Annah Junge all saw action in the circle for the Bucs over the weekend. Eaton threw a team-high 9.1 innings against the Spartans, while Heinrich led the Bucs with three strikeouts in two appearances during the weekend.

Season Leaders
Brewington is the Bucs' leader among its regular starters in batting average at .409 and hits with nine. Ashley Meckley has two homers and three doubles to lead CSU in extra-base hits and also has five runs batted in to lead the team in that category as well.

In the circle, Clark leads the Bucs in ERA at 4.57 and strikeouts with 11, while pitching a team-best 15.2 innings. Clark, Eaton, Heinrich and Junge have all made four appearances in the circle this season, with each earning at least one start.

What to Watch For
CSU has had a lead in five of its first seven games this season and led late in two of its three Big South games so far.
The Bucs used the same defensive alignment, apart from the pitcher changing, in all three games against USC Upstate. CSU used the same batting order in each of the first two games against the Spartans.
CSU has used four different pitchers this season – Clark, Eaton, Junge and Heinrich. All four saw action in the circle in both weekends the Bucs have played so far.

Scouting Radford
Radford enters the weekend on a four-game losing streak, having been swept in doubleheaders at ETSU and Virginia Tech earlier in the week. This weekend's series marks the first Big South action for the Highlanders in the 2021 season.

Preseason Big South Co-Player of the Year Sydney Fisher leads Radford with a .390 average, four doubles and six stolen bases. Riley Oakes and Madison Canaday are hitting .413 and .302, respectively, while Abby Wilson and Talia Douglas are tied for the team lead with three homers apiece.

In the circle, Jessie Marvin has started 10 of the 18 games for the Highlanders going 3-7 with a 5.45 ERA. Oakes has a 4.15 ERA and a team-leading 23 strikeouts in 28.2 innings for Radford.

Series Breakdown
Charleston Southern is looking to take its second consecutive series over Radford, having won two of three in the last meeting between the programs back in 2019. Radford has won seven of the last nine series between the teams, though the Bucs are 5-4 with a pair of series wins in their last nine games against the Highlanders.

This is the third consecutive series between Radford and Charleston Southern that will be played at the CSU Softball Complex. The Bucs last made the trip to Radford in 2017.

Coming Up on the Schedule
Charleston Southern closes its eight-game homestand with a doubleheader against Coastal Carolina on Wednesday at the CSU Softball Field. First pitch of the opening game is set for 3 p.m., with the second game set to take place approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.

Next Five Opponents

• March 24 vs. Coastal Carolina (DH)
• March 27-28 at Presbyterian
• April 2-3 vs. Winthrop
• April 7 at South Carolina (DH)
• April 9-10 vs. Gardner-Webb

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