4/9/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
CONWAY - Riding an eight-game Big South Conference winning streak, the Coastal Carolina softball team returns to league play this weekend to host Radford for a three-game series, with the opener of Saturday's doubleheader to be broadcast on ESPNU starting at noon.
The Chanticleers (23-17, 9-2 BSC) have won 10 of their last 12 games overall and hold a two-game lead over Longwood and Charleston Southern in the loss column. Radford enters the series with a 10-20 overall mark, but is 5-6 in conference play.
Coastal leads the Big South with 60 home runs and entered the week ranked 11th in the nation in homers per game. The Chants also rank first in the conference in batting, runs scored, slugging and on-base percentage. CCU is batting .347 as a team in league play.
Individually, Kory Hayden tied the Big South's all-time home run record of 58 on Tuesday and will look to pass Liberty's Jessica Moore. Longwood senior Megan Baltzell is just behind with 57 entering the weekend.
Hayden also leads the team and ranks fourth in the conference with a .410 average. Morgan Noad ranks among the conference's top 10 in nine different categories and has a team-high 13 homers and 36 RBIs. Amanda Daneker is batting .500 over the last 10 games and is hitting at a .714 clip (15 for 21) in her seven conference games. Sara Rasley has a team-best 13 RBIs in the last 10 contests while recording three home runs and four doubles.
Coastal's team ERA of 3.45 against league opponents ranks first, with Kelsey Dominik third individually at 2.55. She is also second in opponent batting average. CCU also leads Big South teams in fielding percentage for the season.
Radford is coming off a victory over Liberty on Wednesday to avoid a three-game sweep. The Highlanders took two of three in home series against Charleston Southern and Campbell but lost four of five contests on the road at Liberty and Presbyterian. Becky Mantel and Whitney Davis, both second-team all-conference picks last year, lead the way offensively. Mantel is hitting .321 with five home runs, 18 RBIs and 18 runs scored, while Davis is at .311 with six homers, 25 RBIs and 17 runs. Radford pitches by committee with four hurlers making at least seven appearances and four starts.
Coastal is 7-5 against Radford since the 2012 season and leads the all-time series 41-33.
The first game on Saturday can also be viewed live online through WatchESPN here. The series will conclude with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Chanticleers will then wrap up their homestand by hosting South Carolina on Tuesday at 5 p.m. before traveling to College of Charleston on Wednesday for a makeup from a game postponed in February.
