March 23, 2004
Game #1 Box Score
Game #2 Box Score
FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood University swept NCAA Division I Hampton, 6-2 and 8-0 in college softball Tuesday afternoon at Lancer Field, while freshman pitcher Abbey Welch/LaPlata, Md. (McDonough) threw her first collegiate no-hitter, with a career-high 11 strikeouts and established a new Lancer-record for strikeouts in a season with 125 (Stacey Rose, 119, 1999). With the sweep, Longwood improves to 24-10 on the season, while the Pirates drop to 11-12 overall. The Lancers will return to action Saturday, March 27 as they travel to Hartsville, South Carolina to take on Coker.
In the opener, Longwood jumped out to an early 4-0 advantage in the first inning, courtesy of an RBI-single up the middle from sophomore Shamana Washington/Rhoadesville (Orange Co.), followed by a two-out, two-run homer from junior Jen Steele/Manassas Park (Manassas Park) – her sixth of the season – bringing home classmate Alishia Stewart/Faber (Nelson Co.). The Lancers continued to add to their margin, tallying two more runs in the fifth frame, as junior Megan Camden/Bedord (Liberty) led off with her first home run of the season and Williams singled up the middle, driving in Washington.
The visiting Pirates spoiled Steele’s perfect game in the top of the sixth inning, as Frema Osei-Boakye hit a two-run homer over the left field fence to put Hampton on the board. However, Steele (11-6) earned the win and finished the game with only two hits allowed in her 11th complete-game (7.0 IP) of the season with three strikeouts.
Camden paced Longwood in the first game, going 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored, a homer, and an RBI. Williams, who went 2-for-3, closed out the contest with a run scored and an RBI.
In the nightcap, Washington and senior Heather Williams/Brookneal (Appomattox) hit back-to-back home runs – a two-run and a solo, respectively -- in the first inning to give Longwood a three-run cushion. The Lancers added to their advantage in the fourth inning, as Stewart scored on a Hampton wild pitch. Longwood continued the scoring spree, crossing the plate four times in what proved to be the fifth and final frame, capped-off by Williams’ second homer of the game, a three-run shot to left field. The senior’s two homers ties the Longwood record for home runs in a game.
Williams finished with two hits in three at-bats, including a career-high four RBI, while Welch was a perfect 1-for-1 with a run scored. Freshman Courtney “Pepper” Wilson/Mechanicsville (Lee-Davis) and Stewart each went 1-for-2.
Welch (13-4) earned the win on the mound with her career-best 11 strikeouts and first no-hitter in a Lancer uniform.
