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FAIRFAX, Va. – The Longwood University softball team picked up two victories on the final day of the George Mason Invitational on Sunday to improve to 16-5 so far this season. The Lancers defeated Monmouth University (6-3), 8-4, and Cornell University (3-4), 8-1. The Lancers were led by senior Brook Short/Hurt, along with freshmen Carly Adams/Colonial Heights and Emily Murphy/Virginia Beach, who all went 3-for-5 at the plate with three RBI. Longwood will return to action on March 14 when the squad travels to the University of Virginia for a 4 p.m. tilt.

Longwood fell behind early in its game against Monmouth, as the Hawks plated a run on a fielder's choice in the top of the first before adding two more on four hits in the second to take a 3-0 advantage. Longwood would not stay down for long, however, putting together a five-run rally in the bottom of the third to take over the lead. Murphy came to bat with the bases loaded and connected for a base hit to score sophomore Kori Nishitomi/Kaneohe, Hawaii (2-5, 5 runs) for LU's first run. Sophomore Chelsea Sciacca/Whittier, California (2-6, 1 run, 3 RBI) followed with a two-RBI single before Adams doubled down the left field line to bring another two LU runners home.

Neither side was able to score in its next two at-bats, as the squads combined for seven runners left on base. The Lancers went back to work and put the game away in the bottom of the sixth, when Murphy came through with another RBI single. Sciacca followed with a long fly out to center to score sophomore Megan Baltzell/Stafford (2-6, 3 runs, 1 RBI), who doubled to left, and senior Jordan Cox/Springfield (4-8, 2 RBI) brought in a run on a ground out, giving Longwood an 8-3 lead. Monmouth had one final chance to regain the upper hand in the seventh, but could only score once, as LU took the 8-4 victory.

Against Cornell, Longwood sealed the decisive victory in the first three innings of the game. In the home half of the first, Nishitomi led off with an infield single, and after she stole second, was knocked in by Short's single to right. The Lancers half of the second inning put the game out of reach with six runs on four hits. Baltzell was hit by a pitch to score freshman Jamie Barbour/Amelia (0-5, 1 bb, 1 run), and Short recorded a hit to bring in sophomore Katie Shinrock/Fountain Valley, Calif. (0-3, 2 bb, 1 run). Nishitomi scored on a pass ball to make it 4-1 before Murphy, Adams and Cox knocked in one run apiece, giving Longwood a 7-0 edge.

Cornell got on the board in the third with a pair of hits, but the Lancers posted their final run of the game in the bottom of the inning to take an 8-1 margin that would stand for the remainder of the contest.