3.25.2012

#25 DePAUL BOX SCORE

#1 ALABAMA BOX SCORE

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Longwood University split a pair of softball games Sunday during the Easton Alabama Challenge hosted by the University of Alabama at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  The Lancers (21-12) upset #25 DePaul University of the BIG EAST Conference 4-1, before dropping a 7-2 road decision at #1 Alabama of the Southeastern Conference.  Longwood was led in the first game victory past the Blue Demons (16-10) by senior Ashley Kramer|Ashburn (Broad Run) with three hits, including a home run, and two RBI, and junior Ashley Cornell|Portsmouth (Churchland) took the complete-game, five-hit pitching win, while junior Brooke Short|Hurt (Altavista) hit a home run and Kramer added two hits against the top-ranked Crimson Tide (30-1).  Longwood will play again on Tuesday, March 27, on the road at Hampton University of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference for a doubleheader in Hampton at 1 p.m.

Against DePaul, Longwood allowed an unearned run in the fourth inning courtesy a couple of fielding errors.  The Lancers answered with a run in the fourth as well when Kramer (3-3, 2 RBI) hit a two-out solo home run down the left field line for her first homer this season.  Longwood scored three runs in the sixth as Short (1-3, RBI) had a run-scoring single that scored freshman Kori Nishitomi|Kaneohe, Hawaii (Maryknoll) (1-3) who had led off with an infield single, Kramer added an RBI single to score freshman Megan Baltzell|Stafford (Mountain View) (1-2) who had walked, and sophomore Marci Christian|Arvonia (Buckingham County) (1-1, RBI) provided a pinch-hit RBI single that scored junior Jordan Cox|Springfield (Robert E. Lee) (1-3) who had reached on an infield single as well.

Cornell (6-3) handled the rest for the Lancers with her 7.0 innings, yielding only five hits and one unearned run with three walks and one strikeout.

DePaul was led by Allie Braden (3-4) with three hits, while Kirsten Verdun (9-5) took the loss for the Blue Demons with 6.0 innings, allowing 10 hits and four runs, all earned, with one walk and seven strikeouts.

Against Alabama, Longwood fell behind 2-0 in the third inning after a solo home run by Keima Davis (2-3, RBI) and an RBI double from Jackie Traina (1-3, RBI).  The Lancers scored a run in the fourth to make it 2-1 as Short (1-3, RBI) blasted a one-out solo homer to center field -- her fourth this season -- and the visitors tied it at 2-2 with another run in the fifth when Nishitomi (1-4, RBI) doubled to score senior Brittney Latka|Purcellville (Loudoun Valley) (0-2) who had walked.  The Crimson Tide, however, scored three runs in the fifth and two more runs in the sixth for the home win.

Jennifer Fenton (2-2, 2 RBI) added two hits and two RBI for Alabama, Jackey Branham (1-3, 2 RBI) had a hit and two RBI, while Kayla Braud (2-4) added two hits as well.  Leslie Jurry (9-1) gained the win in relief with the final 2.2 scoreless innings, scattering one hit with two walks and one strikeout.

Cornell took the loss for Longwood with 6.0 innings, allowing nine hits and seven runs, all earned, with seven walks and five strikeouts.  Kramer (2-2) added two hits for the Lancers, and was named to the All-Tournament Team along with Baltzell (1-4) for their respective four-game efforts in the event.

Longwood enjoyed a nice bounce-back day in Tuscaloosa after dropping both games during day one per the five-inning, eight-run rule to #25 DePaul (10-2) and #1 Alabama (11-0).