FARMVILLE, Va. – Led by a 3-for-3 performance from Jordan Clark and multi-hit games from three different Lancers, the Longwood softball team earned a 9-1 run-rule win in six innings over Hampton to take the rubber game of the series Wednesday afternoon at Lancer Field.

With the win, Longwood (31-16, 17-4 Big South) moves to within one game of securing the No. 1 overall seed in the Big South Tournament and two wins shy of winning its third outright Big South regular season championship in the last five seasons. Hampton falls to 22-21, 6-15 in the Big South with the loss.

"I like the way we responded from yesterday," said Longwood head coach Kathy Riley. "The thing I was most pleased with was how we played together."

The series win marks the 17th straight won by Longwood since the 2017 season.

Clark paced a Longwood offense that scored in four of six innings with a 3-for-3 inning with two RBI and two runs scored. Kasey Carr and Karleigh Donovan also added a multi-hit game with two hits apiece, as Longwood had nine players combine for 13 hits.

The game marks Clark's third three-hit game of the season, as the Midlothian, Va. product now has hits in 14 straight games. In that stretch, Clark has five multi-hit games with 14 RBI and 12 runs scored while hitting .385 to raise her season batting average to a team-leading .325.

"A lot of times you see players mature over time and Jordan is having her best season this year as a senior," Riley said. "That's well earned by her and all of the hard work that she has put in. She's brought it every single day whether we're in a game, in a weight room, at practice. She's been our most consistent hitter this year and we've leaned on her."

One day after tossing her first career no-hitter, Sydney Backstrom (15-8) picked up the win, securing her sixth win in her last seven appearances. She allowed one run on four hits in five innings, striking out four while throwing 73 pitches, 47 for strikes and retiring the last 11 batters she faced.

"Sydney Backstrom struggled in the first inning, the ball wasn't going where she wanted, so I went out and talked to her exuding a confidence and an aura that made our team feel good," Riley said. "She did a nice job after that of trusting her stuff. The last half of her game was really good."

Sydney Gay came on to pitch a scoreless sixth inning, allowing just one hit in the inning.

Allie Hotetz (11-10) took the loss while allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits in 1.2 innings. Allyson Babinsack pitched the final four innings, allowing six runs, three earned, on nine hits.

DaSha Hill led the Pirates at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double.    

Longwood's series at Presbyterian is set to get underway with a doubleheader Saturday, April 27 beginning at 2 p.m. with the first game set to be broadcast on ESPN3.

"Our biggest challenge will be making ourselves ready to play," Riley said. "The scariest part about it is playing on somebody else's field, but I'd like to see us carry over some momentum and confidence from today into the series this weekend."

#GoWood