March 18, 2006

BOX SCORE

HONOLULU, Hawaii. – Longwood University dropped a 4-3 softball decision to Big 12 Conference member Kansas to close out the Hawaii Invitational hosted by Hawaii on Saturday in Honolulu. The Lancers, who finished the tournament with a 1-4 record, now currently holds an 11-15 record on the year. LU will be back in action March 24-26 when it partakes in the Radford Tournament. Longwood will face Georgetown (2:00 p.m.) and Howard (6:00 p.m.) on the first day of the tournament.   

Longwood jumped out on top early, scoring three runs off four hits in the top of the first inning. Sophomore outfielder Caitlin Hooe/Richmond (Douglas Freeman) started the game off with a bang, cracking a home run to left field. Freshman outfielder Danielle Skapura/Friendswood, Texas (Friendswood) followed with a bunt-single and advanced to third on a double hit to left field by sophomore shortstop Ryan Washington/Bealeton (Liberty). Both Skapura and Washington scored when senior first baseman Victoria Masters/Lake City, Fla. (Thomas University-Ga.) singled to left field.
The score would stay 3-0 until the bottom of the sixth inning when Kansas broke-up the Lancers shutout by scoring two runs. With one out, Heather Stanley doubled down the left field line. After Destiny Frankenstein lined out to senior second baseman Mallory Gordon/Powhatan (Powhatan), KU’s Serena Settlemier homered to right center to cut LU’s lead to 3-2.

With bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning, Val Chapple of Kansas hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Stevie Crisosto to tie the game. The Jayhawks completed the come-from-behind victory when Stanley hit a single to drive home Nettie Fierros.  

Sophomore pitcher Rachel Mills/Quinton (New Kent County) took the loss for Longwood, giving up four runs on seven hits, while striking out three and walking one in 6.2 innings of action. Settlemier earned the pitching win for Kansas, giving up three runs on seven hits, while striking out six and walking two.