March 23, 2007

BOX SCORE

Tempe, Ariz.-- The Longwood University softball team opened the Diamond Devil Classic with a 6-0 loss to Illinois on Friday afternoon in Tempe, Arizona.  The loss puts the Lancers at 10-6 on the season while the Fighting Illini improve to 19-10 on the year.  Longwood will face hosts Arizona State later this evening at 10 p.m..  The Sun Devils are currently ranked fifth in the country among Division I softball teams.
    
The Illini struck in the bottom of the first inning to jump out to the 1-0 lead on a RBI single to center field by Illinois’ Kisten Martin.  Longwood recorded its first hit of the game in the top of the third inning on a two out single to right field by Caitlin Hooe/Richmond  (Douglas Freeman).   
    
Illinois was able to bring in its second run of the game on a Longwood error to pad its lead to 2-0 after four full innings of play.
    
With the score 3-0 after five innings the Lancers threatened in the top of the sixth after Ryan Washington/Bealeton (Liberty) singled to left field and stole second putting a runner in scoring position with one out.  The Lancers had runners at first and second after Pepper Wilson/Mechanicsville (Lee-Davis) was hit by a pitch.  The Fighting Illini however buckled down on defense, and threw out Washington who was trying to steal second  on the next set of pitches and had the next Longwood batter ground out to end the threat.  Illinois tacked on three runs in the bottom half of the sixth for the 6-0 lead and retired Longwood’s next three batters in order in the top of the seventh for the win.  
    
Ashley Forsyth/Freehold, N.J. (Freehold) got the start in the circle for Longwood and pitched five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits while walking three.  Catelyn Slagle/Chesapeake (Greenbrier Christian Academy) came in relief in the final inning allowing three runs on three hits while fanning one batter in the sixth.