Softball Southern Conference

Elon's Postseason Run Ends With 8-0 Loss to Radford

ATHENS, Ga. - The Elon softball team's 2010 season came to an end on Saturday afternoon as the fourth-seeded Phoenix fell 8-0 in five innings to the third-seeded Radford Highlanders at the Athens Regional of the 2010 NCAA Softball Championship. Elon ended the year with a program-best 38-21 record and its first-ever Southern Conference championship. Radford moved to 37-16 and will play Florida State in an elimination game at 5 p.m. this afternoon. The winner of the game will take on Georgia tomorrow at 12 p.m. in the Regional Championship game.
 
Erin O'Shea fanned the first batter before putting runners at first and second on a walk and a base hit. A single up the middle off the bat of Shannon Keefe sent Nichole Beall home, giving the Highlanders a 1-0 lead. O'Shea ended the inning by striking out Taylor Cunningham.
 
The Phoenix went down in order in the bottom of the frame, sending Radford back to the plate for the top of the second. After the leadoff runner reached on an Elon error, Kristen Shifflett laid down a perfectly executed bunt that put runners at the corners with one away. Ahead in the count, Nichole Beall took a 1-0 pitch high over the left field wall for a three-run homer that extended Radford's lead to 4-0 and knocked O'Shea from the circle. New Elon pitcher Lauren Taylor came on and recorded the second out before giving up a single up the middle. A throwing error by the Phoenix cost Elon a run, as Keefe scored from third after advancing on a double by Hope Creasy. Michelle Beall knocked a RBI base hit to left field, scoring Creasy to make it a 6-0 game. With two away, a hit batsman loaded the bases for Radford, but Taylor got out of the jam when Lauren Williams grounded out to the pitcher.
 
Elon got its first base runner of the day in the bottom of the third when Taylor was hit by a pitch with two outs. The Phoenix was unable to push her across as the final batter grounded out to third.
 
Radford tacked on another run in the top of the third when Nichole Beall homered to left field, allowing the Highlanders to take a commanding 7-0 lead. With two outs and a runner at second, Creasy singled to center and drove in Keefe for the eighth run of the game. The Highlanders looked to add to their lead, but Danielle Lafferty made a diving grab on a line drive at short that ended the inning with runners in scoring position.
 
Elon's best chance came in the bottom of the fourth when Jackie Gonzalez led off the inning with a bunt single that gave the Phoenix its first hit of the day. Emerald Graham put runners at first and second when she drew a walk. The pair was left stranded as the final batter hit into a double play that ended the inning.
 
O'Shea finished the season with a 17-10 record after suffering the loss. She gave up four runs, three of them earned, on four hits and a walk in 1.1 innings in the circle. Taylor came on for 3.2 innings in relief of O'Shea and completed the game, but did not factor into the decision. She gave up four runs, one of which was earned, on eight hits and a walk.
 
Radford's Chelsea Kelley picked up the complete-game win to improve to 24-8 on the year. She gave up just one hit, while striking out four batters.