April 10, 2007
GAME ONE BOX SCORE
GAME TWO BOX SCORE
FARMVILLE, Va.-- Longwood University softball recorded a doubleheader sweep over Radford, winning game one 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth and taking game two 13-1 in five innings Tuesday afternoon at Lancer field. The Lancers (15-13) loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth in game one and Ryan Washington/Bealeton (Liberty) sent a single through the right side to score Ashley Forsyth/Freehold, N.J. (Freehold) and Longwood the game one win, which carried over to game two. The Lancers will return to action on Thursday, April 12, when they travel to North Carolina for a 4 p.m. doubleheader with Campbell.
Longwood jumped out to a 1-0 lead after the first inning of play, after Amy Betterton/Rocky Mount (Franklin County) laid down a bunt that caught the Highlander defense off-guard to get Longwood’s first run of the afternoon. After Betterton laid down the bunt, Radford’s third baseman threw to first with no one covering first to score Washington from second and stand at third for the 1-0 lead. Betterton was stranded at third as Ashley Taylor got the final Longwood batter to strike out to keep the game at 1-0.
The Highlanders knotted the game at one in the top of the second after Alexandra Roderick hit a single up the middle to score Hope Creasy from second for the 1-1 score.
Emily Radford/Tacoma, Wash. (Fife) hit a RBI single up the middle to put Longwood back ahead 2-1 after four. Washington hit a lead-off single to right field and stole second on the next set of pitches to put a runner at scoring position with no outs. Taylor got the following two Longwood batters out before Radford came and hit the strike right back up the middle.
Radford came right back in the first half of the fifth, rallying on two outs and bringing two runs in for the 3-2 lead.
Washington hit a RBI single to the right field fence bringing in Camille Ketsdever/Irvine, Calif. (Irvine) who was standing at second after a lead off double of her own, to tie the game at three. Washington put herself in scoring position at third, after she stole second and third with no outs. Washington was unable to get in as Taylor got the Longwood’s next batter to strikeout and Kaitlyn McKeown/Gordonsville (Orange County) hit into a double play, being thrown out at first and Washington thrown out at home to end the inning and the score still tied 3-3 after six.
The game stayed that way and went into extra innings putting the last batter at for each team at second. Rachel Mills/Quinton (New Kent County) pitched a strong top half of the eighth inning getting the Highlanders to retire in order. The Lancers loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning after Kristina Garrison/Alexandria (Mount Vernon) snuck a pop up bunt over the charging third baseman’s head, moving Forsyth to third with Longwood’s top of the line-up coming up. Caitlin Hooe/Richmond (Douglas Freeman) drew an intentional walk forcing Radford’s infield in with no outs. The Highlanders got Longwood’s following batter to strike out but Washington hit the winning RBI single through the left side to give Longwood the 4-3 win.
Mills went the distance for Longwood surrendering three runs on six hits while striking on six, including back-to-back strike outs in the eighth to end the inning.
In game two, the Lancers patience at bat paid off as the Highlanders’ Breanna Felix walked three batters in the first inning loading the bases on two occasions and walking one home to give the Lancers a 4-0 lead after one. Forsyth tallied the two RBI single to build Longwood’s lead to 4-0.
Radford was able to rally on two and bring one run in on a single from Jennifer Everhart to cut the deficit to 4-1.
Longwood took control of the game in the fourth inning bringing in five runs to jump out to a 13-1 advantage. The Lancers were patient again at bat and drew five walks while collecting two hits, including a base clearing double by Hooe to give the Lancers the 12-1 advantage en route to the nine run fourth inning. Hooe finished game two going 2-3 with three RBI and three runs scored.
Forsyth wrapped things up in the fifth facing four batters with out and runs coming in. For the game Forsyth allowed one run on four hits while striking out three.
