February 27, 2011

Box Score: Longwood 7, Stony Brook 0
Box Score: Longwood 6, Bucknell 2

FARMVILLE, Va. - The Longwood University softball team defeated Stony Brook University 7-0 and Bucknell University 6-2 on the final day of the Longwood Classic on Sunday afternoon at Lancer Field in Farmville. The Lancers (8-0) were paced by senior Brittany Matthews|Farmville (Prince Edward) with three hits and three RBI. Longwood is off to its best start in school history and the eight-game winning streak is the longest since a 10-game streak during the 2006 season. Longwood returns to action on Friday, March 4, when it travels to Orlando, Florida, for the three-day Citrus Classic. The Lancers will face the University of Notre Dame at 10 a.m. and Long Island University at 12:30 p.m. on the first day.

The first game against Stony Brook (1-3) was tightly contested until the Lancers scored six runs in the sixth inning to blow the game open. Longwood scored one run in the bottom of the fourth inning when junior Ashley Kramer|Ashburn (Broad Run) (0-2) scored on a sacrifice fly by Matthews (1-2). In the sixth inning, senior pitcher Briana Wells|Romoland, Calif. (Paloma Valley) (1-2) helped her own cause with a two-run single with the bases loaded. Matthews followed with a RBI single. Junior Leigh Sexton|Suffolk (Randolph College) (1-1) had a pinch-hit infield single to load the bases, then senior Maggie Margadonna|Sea Girt, N.J. (Wall Township) (1-3) hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield that scored Wells to put Longwood ahead 5-0. Sophomores Brooke Short|Altavista (Altavista) (1-2) and Jordan Cox|Springfield (Robert E. Lee) (1-3) followed with back-to-back RBI singles to put Longwood ahead 7-0.

Wells (6-0, 1.11 ERA) pitched a seven shutout innings, allowing just one hit with six strikeouts and one walk and earned the victory. Colleen Matthes (1-3) gave up seven runs on seven hits and six walks in six innings and received the loss.

In the second game against Bucknell (1-8), the Lancers struck first in the top of the third inning when senior Nichole Simmons|Chesapeake (Hickory) (2-3) walked and stole second base and eventually scored from third base on an infield hit by classmate Tricia Nelson|Plainfield, Ill. (Plainfield Central) (2-3). The Bison evened the score in the bottom of the fourth inning when pitcher Bridget Gates (1-3) singled to start the inning. Caryn Connors ran for Gates and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Kathryn Wilkinson (1-3) hit a RBI single down the left field line to drive home Connors and tie the game at 1-1. Longwood scored two runs in the top of the sixth inning on a bases-loaded single by Simmons to lead 3-1. The Lancers added two more runs in the top of the seventh inning, the first when freshman Leta Bressin|Gloucester (Gloucester) (1-1) scored on a RBI single by Matthews (2-4). Sexton (1-3) scored the second run on a RBI single by Kramer (3-5) to give the Lancers the 6-1 lead. The Bison scored one run in the bottom of the seventh inning to make the final score 6-2.

Sophomore Brittany Shotwell|Roxboro, N.C. (Louisburg College) (2-0, 2.33 ERA) earned the victory after giving up one run on five hits with six strikeouts in four innings. Wells recorded her second save of the year after allowing one run on three hits in three innings. Gates (0-3) received the loss after giving up six runs, three earned, on 11 hits in 6.1 innings.