April 21, 2007

GAME ONE BOX SCORE

GAME TWO BOX SCORE

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Longwood University softball fell, 7-2 and 8-1 to the #22 Florida Gators Saturday afternoon in Gainesville.  The Gators (34-17) had a five run fifth inning, in both game one and two to jump out to a big lead over the Lancers (19-17) that Longwood was unable to recover from.  Longwood will return to action on Sunday, April 22, when they wrap-up play with the Gators in a single game, slated for 11 a.m..

In game one, the Gators scored one run in the first and third jumping out to a 2-0 lead after three full innings of play.  Florida’s Stacey Nelson retired Longwood’s first 11 batters in order through the first 3.2 innings of play.  Ryan Washington/Bealeton (Liberty) broke up Nelson’s perfect game with a homerun to right center to bring the Lancers within one run after three and a half innings. 

The Gators however took control of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, bringing in five runs to jump out to the 7-1 lead.  With the bases loaded and no outs, Florida’s Ali Gardiner hit a base clearing double to center field to build the Gators’ lead to 5-1.  After a single by Mary Ratliff scored two more runs for Florida, Longwood’s starter Rachel Mills/Quinton (New Kent County) came out and was relieved by Catelyn Slagle/Chesapeake (Greenbrier Christian Academy) with a runner on a no outs.  Mills pitched four innings allowing seven runs on nine hits, walking two and striking out two in the outing.  Slagle got the Lancers out of the inning getting three of the four batters she faced in the inning to fly out.

Longwood was unable to get another run come across the plate, falling 7-1 in game one.  Slagle did not allow a hit in the final two innings only having one base runner following a walk.  Nelson struck out nine in her seven innings of work, while allowing one run on two hits.  Caitlin Hooe/Richmond (Douglas Freeman) tallied the only other Lancer hit in the sixth inning with two outs.

In game two, the Lancers threaten in their first at bat, as Hooe got things started on a lead-off double to left field and Camille Ketsdever/Irvine, Calf. (Irvine) made her way to first after she was hit by a pitch to put Longwood’s first two batters on with no outs.  After Washington loaded the bases Florida was able to turn a double play to get Hooe out at home and Kaitlyn McKeown/Gordonsville (Orange County) out at first and Gators’ pitcher, Stacey Stevens, got the next Longwood batter to strike out, ending the early Longwood threat.

The Gators took advantage of defensive miscues in the fourth inning, as lead-off batter Garniner reached on an error in the field and after pinch runner Ashley Harris came in later that inning on a wild pitch to give the Gators a 1-0 lead.

The Lancers answered right back in the top half of the fifth inning, on a RBI single from McKeown to knot the score at one.  Hooe drew a one out walk and stole second to put herself in scoring position with one out.  After Ketsdever struck out, the Gators intentionally walked Washington to put runners at first and second with two outs.  McKeown then singled to right field to bring in the equalizer and move Washington to third.  Washington and McKeown however, were stranded as Florida got the final out to keep the game at a 1-1 tie.

As they did in the first game, Florida was able to put together a five run fifth inning, to jump out to a 6-1 lead.  The Gators got a two-run RBI single from Gardiner and a two-run homerun from Melissa Zick later in the inning to take control of game two.  Florida tacked on two runs in the sixth to take the 8-1 win.

Forsyth went the whole way for Longwood in the circle pitching six innings, allowing eight suns on ten hits while striking out three in the loss.  Stevens pitched seven innings and allowed one run on four hits while striking out nine in the win.

Washington carried a 12-game hitting streak into the doubleheader and went 1-2 in game one but was unable to record in a hit in game two to stop the streak at 13.  Washington has however, recorded a homerun in each of the last four doubleheaders, leading the Lancers with seven on the year.