RALEIGH, N.C. – Senior Megan Baltzell opened Sunday's game against Fordham one home run shy of matching Brooke Short's all-time career mark of 55 home runs. She ended the day one ahead of Short as the all-time home run leader at Longwood with two home runs to lead the Lancers past the Rams, 10-7, to conclude play in the NC State Hyatt Place Invitational at Dail Softball Stadium.

The Lancers took three of four games over the weekend to improve to 6-13 on the season. Meanwhile, Fordham falls to 11-9 on the season, after splitting the four games they played in the tournament.

"I thought we bounced back nicely after a tough loss to Missouri last night," said Longwood head coach Kathy Riley. "Sometimes you can get a little deflated after a tough loss like we had and I think we worked real hard to put it behind us today. We did a nice job of playing from behind this afternoon a couple of times and putting ourselves in position to win at the end of the game."

Sunday marked the second game of the weekend that Baltzell hit two round-trippers in a contest, as she also accomplished the feat in Longwood's 5-1 upset over No. 25 NC State Friday afternoon. Throughout the weekend, Baltzell totaled five home runs after coming into the tournament with two long balls on the season.

"It feels unbelievable," Baltzell said of breaking the school's home run record. "I don't really worry about records, but focus on helping my team win. I'm trying to do my job and lead this team. I was just trying to provide a spark for our offense."

Baltzell led the Lancers at the plate going 2-for-2 with four RBI and four runs scored. She was also intentionally walked and hit by a pitch to reach base in each of her four at-bats. Justina Augustine and Kelsey Sweeney also recorded two hits apiece, as seven different Longwood batters had at least one hit.

"I honestly didn't know about it until after the game," Riley said of Baltzell's record. "Looking back on it, I'm real fortunate to be able to coach a player like her and she has played an instrumental part of our success throughout her entire career. She helped us get to the NCAA Tournament in our first season in the Big South and she's our first Division I All-American. She's left a legacy here that we hope some of the kids that come in after her will try to emulate."

Baltzell's record is just one of many that the senior is primed to leave Farmville holding at the end of the season. She is currently the all-time leader in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, while she is on pace to break the all-time hits mark and the mark for most walks in her career. 

Elizabeth McCarthy (5-5) earned her third victory of the weekend and fourth straight, going 4.0 innings and allowing seven runs, four of which were earned, and one walk. She also posted one strikeout. Libby Morris picked up the save, coming on relief of McCarthy and giving up one hit while striking out two batters in 3.0 innings of work.

Michele Daubman took the loss for Fordham, allowing eight runs, including seven earned, to go along with one walk. She also struck out three Lancer batters in 5.0 innings of work. Patti Maloney came on to work two innings in relief and gave up two earned runs off one hit and a walk.

After Justina Augustine sent a pitch up the middle for a one-out single, Baltzell came to the plate in the top of the first inning. She launched the first of her homers to straight away center to give the Lancers an early 2-0 advantage.

The Rams answered in the bottom of the inning with two runs of their own, as the first three of Fordham's bats reached base via an error, a double and a walk. Daubman scored Sydney Canessa from third base on a sacrifice fly to get the Rams on the board. One batter later, Kayla Lombardo singled home Amy Van Hoven to tie the game.

The Lancers responded in the top of the third inning after Emily Murphy led off the inning with a base hit through the left side. She moved over to second base on a stolen base, before Augustine moved her to third base for the first out of the inning. After Baltzell was given an intentional pass, Haleigh Kilby brought in Murphy from third to regain the lead for the Lancers. Sweeney had the first of her two hits, as she brought in Baltzell.

The Rams took their only lead of the contest in the bottom half of the inning with four runs. Lombardo had the big hit of the inning with a two-run homer to straight away center field to tie the game. The Rams manufactured the next two runs to take a 6-4 advantage, as Van Hoven reached on a Krista Kelly error to score Figuerora and Winokeur.

Longwood put up a four-spot of its own on the scoreboard in the fifth inning, bringing seven total batters to the plate. Augustine led off the inning with a single, before Baltzell was hit by a pitch. Kilby sacrificed them over with a bunt down the first base line, before Sweeney brought home Augustine with a base hit to left field. Baltzell would tie the game on a wild pitch, before the Lancers took the lead for good when Chelsea Sciacca reached on an error to bring home pinch runner Glenn Walters.

An inning later, the Lancers had the top of the order come to the plate. Augustine reached base with a one-out walk to bring Baltzell to the plate. She passed Short for her 56th career home run with her second dinger of the game, also of the two-run variety.

Morris worked a perfect sixth and seventh innings to seal the win, as the Lancers now have wins in five of their past six contests.

After playing its first 19 games of the year on the road, Longwood will open Lancer Field and its conference slate Tuesday afternoon against Coastal Carolina. The first game of the doubleheader is set for a 3 p.m. first pitch.

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