FARMVILLE, Va. — The Longwood softball team blasted five home runs in a 16-3, 5-3 doubleheader sweep of Gardner-Webb on Saturday at Bank of the James Park to open its Big South Conference home slate on Saturday.
The Lancers (8-22, 2-3) pounded out 18 hits in the two games and got strong pitching from
Maggie Chapin,
Er'ron Burton and
Morgan Strickland to run its all-time record against Gardner-Webb to 37-3 since 2000.
"We talk about taking nothing for granted," said Longwood head coach
Dr. Megan Brown. "Very proud of our team and how they came out today. They played as a unit and executed in the areas they have been working diligently on the past several weeks. Lots of work ahead, but grateful for today."
Chapin improved to 4-9 on the year in the circle, scattering two hits and three earned runs, striking out seven with three walks in five innings, while carrying a no-hitter one out into the fourth inning.
Longwood scored in all four of their offensive innings, including a season-high nine runs — all with two out — in the second frame. The Lancers sent 12 batters to the plate and received three-run homers from
Sophia Knock and
Naleya Bridges.
Guy added a solo blast in the first inning to center field and a three-run jack of her own in the fourth to left field, her first homers since 2023 and ninth and 10th of career. She was 3-for-3 with five RBIs in the game and was one of three players with multiple hits.
Knock was 2-for-3 with a double, the homer and three runs scored, while
Kate Westmiller posted her first multiple-hit game of the season, going 2-for-3 with a double, walk, stolen base and two runs scored.
Hannah Frye (7-7) started for Gardner-Webb (16-21, 1-7), going three innings, allowing six runs on four hits and two walks.
Maggie Hiatt jumped on an 0-2 pitch from Runnin' Bulldogs' game two starter Anna Hornbacker (5-3), driving it over the wall in left field to give the Lancers a 1-0 lead in the third inning of the nightcap.
Gardner-Webb responded in the fourth with a two-run double by Alli Stidham and a run-scoring single by Trina van Dyke to take a 3-1 lead against Burton and Strickland.
Longwood answered with three runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth and one in the fifth for the victory.
In the its half of the fourth,
Sophia Pisacano scored when Knock reached on a throwing error and Guy later deposited a ball into left field for a single, scoring Knock and Westmiller. Pisacano lashed an RBI double to left-center field with two out in the fifth, plating Bridges for the final margin.
Strickland earned her first Division I pitching win with four innings of two-hit, two-strikeout relief of Burton.
Avery Drake and Pisacano each collected a pair of hits for Longwood in game two.
The same two teams finish the series at 1 p.m., on Sunday on ESPN+.
