ORLANDO, Fla. — Longwood and the University of Central Florida for the second time in as many days faced off in pitching duel with the Knights using late-inning success to defeat the Lancers, 2-0. 

All-Big South Sydney Backstrom was tabbed for the start in the circle for the Lancers, and she did not disappoint for Longwood (5-9). Backstrom pitched four scoreless innings before UCF's (16-2) offense was able to put up the first run of the game in the fifth inning. 

The Lancers offense instantly responded and threatened to even the score in the sixth inning as Sydney Jacobsen singled to center field with two outs to keep the inning alive for Longwood. Kelly Park found a pitch to drive for the second time in the game, this time a double to left field, that advanced Jacobsen to third. The Knights went to the bullpen for relief with Longwood threatening in the inning, and the Knights change from starter Breanna Vasquez to Gianna Mancha made the difference as UCF was able to work out of the inning, keeping their one-run advantage over Longwood. 

UCF added an insurance run in the sixth inning as S. Doherty singled to left field, allowing J. Cody to score for the Knights as UCF stretched their advantage to two runs late over the Lancers as the Knights went on to defeat Longwood, 2-0. 

Longwood finished with four hits against the Knights freshman Kelly Park leading the way with a single in the first and a double in the sixth. Destiny Martinez and Sydney Jacobsen recorded one hit each in the loss. 

In the circle, Longwood's Sydney Backstrom and UCF's duo of Breanne Vasquez and Gianna Mancha put on a pitching display as the trio combined to allow only 10 hits and two runs in the 2-0 UCF victory. Backstrom went the distance for the Lancers with 6.0 innings of work with the Knights scattering six hits and two runs, while Backstrom finished with three strikeouts.  

UCF's Vasquez (4-0) is credited with the win allowing four hits in her 5.2 innings of work for the Knights. 

The Knights are not a team to take lightly as UCF extends their winning streak to 11 games, including two victories over then No. 12 Tennessee, and improves to 16-2 on the season. 

Longwood with the loss fell to 5-9 on the season and finished with a record of 2-3 at the UCF Invitational with victories over Columbia and Long Island. The Lancers will stay in Florida to finish a stretch of 15 straight games in the Sunshine State with 'The Spring Games' on March 6-8. Longwood will play five games over the three days with Niagara, Valparaiso, Creighton, Bethune-Cookman, and No. 9 Florida on the schedule. 

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