ROCK HILL, S.C. — Freshman left-hander Cierra Gawryluk induced a popup to shortstop with the winning run at the plate and Lauren Taylor squeezed the final out in foul territory as the Longwood softball team outlasted Charleston Southern, 7-5, to advance in the 2024 Big South Conference Championship at Winthrop's Terry Field Friday.

Gawryluk re-entered the game with two out in the in the seventh after throwing six innings and fanning a career-high seven CSU batters. The Buccaneers started the seventh inning trailing 7-2, but used two hits and two walks off of righty Er'ron Burton to find their way back into the game.    

Longwood (19-32) stays alive to face the loser of Friday's second game between top-seeded USC Upstate and No. 3 Winthrop Saturday at noon. Charleston Southern's season comes to a close at 23-27 overall.

Until the final frame, Gawryluk allowed just a pair of solo home runs in the first and sixth innings, respectively, and the Longwood offense banged out 11 hits — including three singles each from from Taylor and senior designated player Peyton Coleman — to stake the Lancers to a five-run lead before a weather delay halted action for three hours, seven minutes.

Following the delay, which came with one out in the sixth, Gawryluk (4-6) retired Charlee Yourman on a  fly ball and struck out Jordan Dimond swinging to end the inning. 

Emma Villaescusa then led off the top seventh with a double to wall in left-center field and was lifted for Burton. Kendal Cook singled to shortstop, scoring Villaescusa from third to cut the lead to 7-3. Weslin Jones then singled to left prior to Burton getting a lineout and fly out from Gracie Prince and Carsten Sandvig, respectively.

Brianna Brooks walked to load the bases and Yourman was hit by a pitch to force in the a run for 7-4. Burton then walked Lacy Johnson to make it 7-5.

Gawryluk came back in and got Dimond to attack the first pitch. Taylor caught it to ensure the win.

Sophia Knock knotted the game, 1-1, in the bottom of the first inning, lining an RBI single to right center after Madelyne Lee led off the game with a homer for a CSU lead.

The Lancers took the lead with four runs on four hits and an error in the third for a 5-1 lead. Korynna Anderson made it 2-1 with an RBI groundout to second. Emily Vinson followed with an RBI single that scored Kayley DeVivi. Maggie Hiatt then added an RBI ground ball of her own and Coleman singed to plate Vinson.

Annah Junge (7-11) lasted 2 2/3 innings, surrendering eight hits and five runs (two earned) and took the loss. She was relieved by Riley Lauffer and Nealy Lamb.