Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Longwood University softball team split a pair of decisions on day two of the Disney Citrus Classic Saturday in Orlando, Florida at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The Lancers (8-4) fell, 9-1, against the No. 15 ranked University of Louisville (14-3) in their first game of the day before earning a decisive 10-0 victory against Syracuse University (5-7) in the afternoon game. Longwood was paced by sophomore Kori Nishitomi/Kaneohe, Hawaii at the plate with a .571 batting average (4-7) and three runs scored. Freshman Emily Murphy/Virginia Beach posted a team-high four RBI on two hits (.333) in the pair of contests, as well. LU will play its final game of the three-day tournament tomorrow, Sunday, March 3, when it takes on Penn State University beginning at 1:30 p.m.

Longwood got off to a quick start against Syracuse, posting three runs in the bottom of the first. Nishitomi recorded a leadoff double and Murphy walked before senior Jordan Cox/Springfield (2-6, 3 RBI) doubled to right to drive both runs in. Cox crossed the plate later in the inning, unearned, following two Orange fielding errors, giving LU the 3-0 advantage. Longwood's lead held strong, as the squads battled through three scoreless innings with both sides combining for three runners left on base. The Lancers extended their buffer in the bottom of the fifth with RBI doubles from senior Brooke Short/Hurt, Murphy, freshman Carly Adams/Colonial Heights (1-6) and sophomore Chelsea Sciacca/Whittier, California (1-3, 1 RBI), making it a 7-0 contest.

LU picked up three quick outs in the top of the sixth before putting together a two-out rally of their own in the bottom of the inning. Sophomore Megan Baltzell/Stafford (3-6, 1 run) and Short each tallied a base hit before Murphy stepped up to the plate and sent a deep fly ball out of the park to clear the bases, securing the 10-0 victory in six innings for the Lancers. Short earned the shutout in the circle, allowing just one hit while striking out four.

“This was a great program win,” said head coach Kathy Riley. “We've played better each game and it was nice to put all of the pieces together.”

Longwood plated the first run of its game against Louisville in the top of the first, as Nishitomi led off with a single to left and scored on a base hit to center from Cox. Louisville stranded one runner in the home half of the first, but took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second with three hits, including an RBI triple. The squads battled scoreless in the next two innings before LU came close to regaining the upper hand in the top of the fifth. The Lancers loaded the bases with singles from freshman Jamie Barbour/Amelia (1-4, 1 run) and Nishitomi, and a fielder's choice by sophomore Katie Shinrock/Fountain Valley, California (0-5), but the Cardinals extinguished the opportunity by throwing Barbour out at home. Louisville pulled away in the bottom of the fifth with a pair of two-RBI doubles, making it a 6-1 game. The Longwood side was retired in order in the sixth before the Cardinals logged three more runs on three hits and two Lancer errors to hand the LU the 9-1 setback in six innings.

Sophomore Libby Morris/Dillwyn (1-2) went the distance in the circle for Longwood, allowing seven earned runs on 11 hits. She struck out two and walked two, as well.