February 29, 2004
BOX SCORE
FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood defeated West Virginia Wesleyan 3-2 Sunday afternoon during the semifinals of the 2004 Longwood Spring Softball Classic. The win marks the Lancers seventh-straight and advances them to the championship game of the tournament. Head Coach Kathy Riley’s squad now 9-6 on the season will play Shippensburg at 4 p.m. this afternoon for the title.
Against West Virginia Wesleyan, the two teams remained even through three innings of competition before sophomore Shamana Washington/Rhoadesville (Orange Co.) broke the tie with her second homer of the tournament – a solo straightaway shot over the 220-foot centerfield fence.
The visiting Bobcats retaliated in the top frame of the sixth inning, taking the lead as they crossed the plate twice. First, WVWC scored off an Alyssa Miller single down the leftfield line to bring in Jessica White, followed by sacrifice bunt from Lacy Stallings to allow Ashley Blandford to score.
Longwood answered in the bottom half of the same inning, scoring two runs of their own and reclaiming the advantage. Washington made her way home off a Bobcat-first baseman error, while junior Jen Steele/Manassas Park (Manassas Park) scored off an RBI-single from senior Heather Williams/Brookneal (Appomattox).
Longwood was led by Washington, who closed out the contest with one hit in two at-bats, including an RBI and one walk. Junior Megan Camden/Bedford (Liberty) also aided the Lancer attack with her 1-2 performance at the plate with a walk.
Sophomore Abbey Welch/LaPlata, Md. (McDonough) earned the win, improving her record on the mound to 4-2. Welch threw her sixth complete-game of the season (7.0 IP) with five strikeouts, while limiting the Bobcats to just four hits.
For West Virginia Wesleyan, Danielle Salmons took the loss, throwing six innings with three strikeouts, while allowing six hits and two earned runs. White finished the contest with a perfect 1-for-1 performance at the plate and Heather Hall recorded one hit in three at-bats.
