ELON, N.C. - Senior outfielder Maureen Hepner hit two homeruns and had five runs batted in (RBIs), leading the Towson University softball team to a 9-6 victory over Radford on Sunday afternoon as part of a doubleheader that also included Elon.
In the Tigers' second game of the day, they fell to Elon, 3-2 in eight innings.
Against Radford, Hepner had a day to remember. The senior, who ironically came to Towson as a transfer from Radford, hit her first homer of the day as part of a four-run third inning. Her three-run blast gave the Tigers (8-7) a 5-0 early lead for Tiger starting pitcher Megan Chocallo.
The Highlanders (4-9) responded in the fifth inning. Despite trailing 7-0, they scoring three runs in the frame. Kayla Bishton's two-run homerun brought Radford within striking distance at 7-3.
The Tigers tacked on a pair of runs in the sixth when Hepner homered again and gave the Tigers a 9-3 lead.
However, Radford did not go away and added three runs of its own in the bottom of the inning. Radford got run scoring singles from three different players after loading the bases as part of the offensive output in the inning.
The Tigers brought in pitcher Ambar Hickman to finish the game in the seventh with Towson leading 9-6, and the sophomore responded by throwing a perfect inning of scoreless relief to earn her first save of the season.
Chocallo threw four innings, yielding two runs and picking up the win for Towson. It was the first of the career for the freshman.
Against Elon (14-5-1), Hickman made the start in the circle and threw well, not allowing an Elon run until the bottom of the fourth inning.
The top of the fourth was also productive for the Tiger bats, as Delanie Dunham hit an RBI single to give the Tigers a 1-0 advantage. Later in the inning, Missy McCormick came around to score on a wild pitch and put the Tigers up 2-0.
But Elon responded when Aly Quintana singled home a run, cutting the Tiger lead in half.
The game was tied by Emily Roper's RBI double in the fifth. Then in the eighth inning, Carey Million hit a walkoff single the scored Emilie Rowland and ended the game.
The Tigers open their home schedule at the Tiger Softball Complex on Tuesday with a doubleheader against Morgan State beginning at 2 p.m.
