April 19, 2011

Box Score: Longwood 4, @Virginia Tech 2
Box Score: @Virginia Tech 7, Longwood 6

BLACKSBURG, Va. - The Longwood University softball team split a doubleheader at Virginia Tech of the Atlantic Coast Conference on Tuesday evening in Blacksburg, winning the first game 4-2 before dropping a 7-6 heartbreaker in the second game. The Lancers (27-10) fell behind 2-0 in the first inning in the first game, but scattered four runs over four innings to take the lead. In the second game, the Lancers left the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning before the Hokies (32-14) broke the tie to win the game in the bottom half of the inning. Senior Kami Nuckols|Glen Allen (Patrick Henry) went 4-for-6 with a double and one RBI in the two games, while junior Ashley Kramer|Ashburn (Broad Run) went 3-for-7 with three RBI and four runs scored. Longwood returns to action on Thursday, April 21, when it hosts Binghamton University for a doubleheader at 1:30 p.m. at Lancer Field in Farmville for “Strike Out Cancer” day.

In the first game, the Lancers fell behind 2-0 in the first inning after the Hokies scored two runs on three hits, including two extra-base hits. Longwood cut the deficit in half in the top of the third inning when sophomore Jordan Cox|Springfield (Robert E. Lee) hit a RBI double down the left field line. In the fourth inning, senior Maggie Margadonna|Sea Girt, N.J. (Wall Township) hit a RBI single up the middle to score Nuckols and tie the game at 2-2. The Lancers took the lead for good in the fifth inning when Nuckols doubled down the left field line to score Kramer. Kramer added an insurance run in the seventh inning when she scored from second on a single by senior Briana Wells|Romoland, Calif. (Paloma Valley) to make the final score 4-2.

Wells (24-10, 2.30 ERA) earned the victory after giving up two runs on five hits with five strikeouts in seven innings. Jasmin Harrell (15-6) received the loss after giving up two runs on three hits in 3.1 innings.

In the second game, the Lancers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but the Hokies stormed back to take the 5-4 lead in the bottom of the first inning. The Hokies pushed the lead to 6-4 in the second inning, but the Lancers scored one run in the third and one in the fourth to tie the game at 6-6. Virginia Tech scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Longwood scored four runs in the first inning after three singles to start the game and a bases-clearing double by Kramer. Kramer advanced to third on a wiled pitch and scored on a RBI single by Nelson. The Lancers were in a jam in the bottom of the first when four runs scored with runners on second and third, but LU forced an unorthodox 7-5-4 double play, where the batter was credited with a RBI single. Longwood trailed 5-4 after the inning. The Hokies added one run in the bottom of the second inning to push the lead to 6-4. The Lancers got one run back in the third inning when sophomore Courtney Long|Mechanicsville (Hanover) had a RBI groundout. Cox drove in senior Nichole Simmons|Chesapeake (Hickory) in the fourth inning to end the inning. Betty Rose singled to right field to lead off the inning and was replaced on the bases by Sarah Ashby. Ashby scored on a single by Christina Cruz to end the game.

Wells received the loss after giving up seven runs on 12 hits in 6.2 innings with one strikeout. Kenzie Roark (15-7) earned the victory after allowing two runs on nine hits in 6.2 innings.