Longwood University Athletics

FARMVILLE, Va. - Longwood prepares next for a three series weekend against the Highlanders of Radford over the weekend in Farmville. 

Fresh off a tough late inning 1-0 loss to NC State, Longwood is looking to continue its strong game play against Big South opponents. In conference play only, Longwood is on an eight game win-streak, sweeping its most recent two opponents; Hampton and North Carolina A&T. 


LONGWOOD GAME NOTES 
LONGWOOD LIVE STATS 
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The First Pitch:

• The Lancers (16-19) were served its first loss in over two weeks by the Wolfpack on Wednesday, following a mid-season seven game win streak. Longwood enters the Big South weekend on a six game conference win streak - most previously sweeping both NC A&T and Hampton.
• Linking back-to-back Big South sweeps over North Carolina A&T and Hampton is the first time Longwood grabbed two sweeps in a season since 2019 - which were not consecutive (Campbell and USC Upstate).
• Longwood's RPI ranks first in the Big South and 47th in the country, with Campbell being the closest behind at 74.
• Sydney Backstrom continues on with her strong super-senior run as Longwood's ace. Backstrom sits at 12-9 with 159 strikeouts, four shutouts, one save, and a batting average against her at .169.
• Er'ron Burton grabbed another start on her freshman year. Burton threw a season second-best eight strikeouts, no walks, and collected five-hitless innings Wednesday night.
• The only hit on Wednesday night came from senior Mason Basdikis in the sixth inning. Basdikis has a .188 b/avg, .225 slg%, 2 RBI's, and 15 hits on the year.
• Longwood has won five of the past eight Big South Championship tournaments since joining the conference in 2013 (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019).

 
By the Numbers:

• Ace for Longwood, Sydney Backstrom (12-9), was picked as the Preseason Pitcher of the Year in the conference. Backstrom has backed up the votes earning two Big South Pitcher of the Week honors in the 2022 season, so far. She grabbed her second conference award after her huge week, topped with a conference sweep on their home turf. 
• Reagan Kanagawa also stepped up in the conference sweep over Hampton over the most recent weekend, grabbing her first ever collegiate no hitter. Kangawa pitched in game two of the series over the weekend grabbing the win (12-1) surrendering no hits to the Pirates.
• Alexis Wayland has had a stellar start to her senior year. She's grabbed 22 RBI's, five home runs, seven doubles, and a triple so far from the plate. Wayland has started behind the plate in every game this season earning a .977 fld% with 221 PO. Wayland leaded Longwood with a .308 b/avg and a .538 slg% - best in both categories for the Lancers. Wayland hit back-to-back homeruns in game one against North Carolina A&T, stamping her first multi-homerun game.
• Kayley Devivi has stepped up in efficiency from the plate for Longwood. Now sitting with the second best slg% at .485, the sophomore outfielder has charted a .294 b/avg, 10 RBI's, three homers, and four doubles.
• Wayland leads the team in RBI's and homeruns, with Lauren Taylor and Korynna Anderson following short behind. Taylor now has 14 RBI's on the year, with Anderson sitting with 15 and three home runs. Anderson hit her first home, homer at her new home at Lancer Field on Saturday Mar. 26.   
• With 130 steals last season, Longwood is only the second team in program history to surpass the century mark in that category. Only the 1999 Lancer squad stole more bases in the program's history, swiping 136 in 53 games. So far on the year, Longwood has collected 51 steals on 68 attempts, over 34 games.

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