CARY, N.C. — The Longwood softball team rallied for seven runs in the fourth inning of the second game to salvage a doubleheader split at North Carolina Central on Wednesday, winning, 13-6.

The Lancers banged out a season-high 16 hits in the nightcap after falling, 8-6, in the opener. 

Longwood (15-22) fell behind 4-1 after two innings in the second game before sending 11 batters to the plate in an explosive fourth. 

Bailey Bucholz led off with a double to right-center field and moved to third with a sacrifice. Following a Lauren Faulkner walk and stolen base, Xenna Tompkins walked both Ava Abromavage and pinch hitter Sarah Terrell to force in a run and close the deficit to 4-2.

Brooke Bennett then lined a double to left center, clearing the bases, for a 5-4 Longwood lead. Brooke Masingale then singled, pushing Bennett to third, and stole second for Maggie Hiatt, who singled to right center for a 6-4 advantage. Hiatt and Masingale then orchestrated a double steal with Hiatt taking second and Masingale charging home. 

Two batters later, Bucholz doubled in Hiatt to extend the lead to 8-4.

Bennett added an RBI single in the fifth and Longwood plated four more in the seventh — including RBI singles from Terrell and Hiatt — to ensure the win. 

"Tonight was a night that continues to show areas we need to grow as a team," Longwood head coach Dr. Megan Brown said. "There is never a moment in this game where you can relax. You have to play to a standard everyday if you want the results to be consistent. You can never take a pitch off you can never settle."

The Lancers battled back to tie the second game at 1-1 on a solo home run to right center from Faulkner in the top of the second, her fourth of the season, but NCCU (6-24) scored three times in the bottom of the inning to take the lead. 

Bennett went 4-for-5 with a career-high five RBIs to lead the offense. Five other Lancers secured multiple hits, including Hiatt who was 3-for-5 with a double run and stolen base. Faulkner finished 2-for-2 with the homer, a double, two walks and four runs scored in the win.

Morgan Strickland (3-5) went the distance in the circle, scattering nine hits, six runs and five walks while striking out three. Tomkins (0-2) absorbed the loss, failing to retire any of the four batters she faced before surrendering two hits, two walks and four runs. 

The Eagles took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first of the first game before Longwood scored two runs in the second inning and four more in the third, grabbing a 6-3 advantage. Faulkner, Sophia Pisacano and Terrell posted consecutive RBI singles in the inning with Terrell's base hit scoring both Faulkner and Bucholz.

NCCU chipped away, however, getting one run back in the bottom of the third and retook the lead with three in the fifth, with the help of a two-run, go-ahead double from Kendal Daniels that made it 7-6.

Longwood had several chances to get back level, including in the fifth with Pisacano on third base and no one out. Terrell, though, flew out to left field and Pisacano was cut down at the plate for a double play. The Lancers also left the bases loaded in the sixth inning and were unable to score.

KK Byas (0-1) took the loss for Longwood after Cierra Gawryluk went five innings, limiting the Eagles to four hits and three earned runs.

Up next, Longwood is back home at Bank of the James Park to host USC Upstate in a key Big South series. With weather in the offing, Friday's opener has been postponed to Sunday. The series will now begin Saturday with a 4 p.m., doubleheader. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+.