April 16, 2009

BOX SCORE

FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood University dropped a softball game to Radford University, falling 10-4 on Thursday evening at Lancer Field in Farmville. The Lancers fell to 18-17 on the season, while the Highlanders improved to 26-11. Longwood returns to action on Saturday, April 18, facing Liberty University at 1 p.m at Lancer Field in Farmville.

Radford jumped on top early in the first inning. Sophomore Briana Wells/Romoland, Calif. (Paloma Valley) struck out Leigh Godfrey to start the game but Godfrey reached first base on a passed ball. Godfrey stole second and then advanced to third on another passed ball. She scored on a Sarah Himan RBI single. Taylor Cunningham scored on a Michelle Beall RBI double, giving Radford a 2-0 lead after the first inning. Longwood would get one run back in the bottom of the second inning. Senior Emily Radford/Tacoma, Wash. (Fife) drew a one-out walk and was replaced on the basepath by freshman Brittney Latka/Purcellville (Loudon Valley). Latka advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Amy Betterton/Rocky Mount (Franklin County) and came around to score on an Ashley Kramer/Ashburn (Broad Run) single down the left field line, pulling the Lancer within one at 2-1. The Highlanders added two more runs in the top of the third inning, both of them unearned. Himan hit a two-RBI double, scoring Kristen Shifflett and Godfrey. The Highlanders loaded the bases but Emily Radford caught Himan straying too far from third base and picked her off to end the inning with Radford ahead 4-1. The Lancers pulled closer after a Courtney Long/Mechanicsville (Hanover) sacrifice fly scored Kami Nuckols/Glen Allen (Patrick Henry), making the score 4-2 after five innings. The Highlanders would add to their lead in the sixth inning. Godfrey hit a three-RBI triple, putting Radford ahead 7-2 after six innings. Radford would tack on three runs in the top of the seventh inning on a Shannon Keefe three-run home run, making the score 10-2. Longwood would score two runs in the bottom of the seventh, one on a Long RBI single and the other on a Kramer single, making the final score 10-4.

Wells pitched six innings for the Lancers, giving up seven runs, only three of them earned, on 11 hits while striking out three in the loss. Kramer went 2-for-3 with two RBI and Long went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Emily Radford threw out four baserunners.

Radford was led by Godfrey who went 2-for-4 with three RBI and Himan who went 3-for-3 with three RBI. Keefe went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run. Rebecca Whalley was credited with the win after scattering four hits over two scoreless innings.