April 6, 2006
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box ScoreLYNCHBURG, Va. – Longwood University swept a college softball doubleheader over host Liberty University in Lynchburg this afternoon. The Lancers took a 3-0 shutout victory in the opener and then won 4-3 in the nightcap. Longwood has won seven-straight and improved its record to 20-18, while Liberty, who are members of the Big South Conference, fell to 25-14 on the season. LU will be back in action on Tuesday, April 11 when it welcomes George Washington to Farmville for a doubleheader. The first game is slated to begin at 4:00 p.m.
In the opener, the Lancers jumped out on top in the first inning. With sophomore outfielder Caitlin Hooe/Richmond (Douglas Freeman) on first, sophomore shortstop Ryan Washington/Bealeton (Liberty) singled to center field which advanced Hooe to third base. Hooe scored and gave Longwood the 1-0 lead when senior outfielder Shamana Washington/Rhoadesville (Orange County) reached on a fielder’s choice to right center.
LU added two insurance runs in the top of the sixth inning to help secure the 3-0 shutout victory. Freshman outfielder Danielle Skapura/Friendswood, Texas (Friendswood) started the inning off with a bunt single to Liberty pitcher Terra Lowe. Ryan Washington followed Skapura with a home run to right center; her seventh homer of the season.
Sophomore Rachel Mills/Quinton (New Kent County) earned the pitching win for the Lancers. Mills allowed no runs on four hits, while striking out three and walking two.
Lowe took the loss for the Flames, giving up three runs on six hits, while striking out eight batters.
In the nightcap, Longwood broke the scoreless tie with one run in the top of the fourth inning. Hooe began the inning with a double to right center; her team-leading 11th of the year. She advance to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Skapura and crossed home plate when junior catcher/outfielder Pepper Wilson/Mechanicsville (Lee-Davis) singled to right field.
The Lancer lead was short-lived as the Flames scored three runs in the bottom half of the fourth to gain the two-run advantage. Beth Bennett started off the inning with a double down the left field line and scored when Ashley Williams followed with a double of her own; this time down the right field line. After Beth Hensley grounded out to Mills, Shannon McKain slammed a two-run home run over the right center fence to give Liberty the 3-1 edge.
Longwood sliced Liberty’s lead to 3-2 in the top of the fifth when senior second baseman Mallory Gordon/Powhatan (Powhatan), who led the inning off with a single to third base, scored on a single hit up the middle hit by freshman catcher Emily Radford/Tacoma, Wash. (Fife).
The Lancers took the 4-3 come-from-behind lead in the sixth inning off a two-run home run by Ryan Washington; her second of the day and third in four games. With Skapura on first base and one out, Washington stepped up to the plate and hammered a homer to center field to help propel Longwood to the win.
Mills again earned the victory for the Lancers, giving up two runs on six hits, while striking out one in four innings of work. Mills has now won six-straight games for Longwood and holds a 14-15 overall record.
Sarah Swor took the loss for Liberty, giving up four runs on nine hits, while striking out four.
