April 24, 2007
GAME ONE BOX SCORE
GAME TWO BOX SCORE
FARMVILLE, Va.-- Longwood University softball rallied in the bottom of the seventh inning in game two to come back from two runs and defeat Liberty 5-4 for the doubleheader sweep Tuesday afternoon at Lancer Field. The Lancers overcame a late rally by the Flames in game one winning 4-3 in the squad’s season finale. Longwood finished the year with a 21-18 record.
The Lancers threatened in the bottom of the second inning, as Ryan Washington/Bealeton (Liberty) took the first pitch she saw and sent it through the left side for a lead-off single. Washington stole second on the next set of pitches to put a runner in scoring position with one out. After Liberty’s Sarah Swor recorded the first out on a strike out and got Longwood’s following batter to line out, Washington came around to third on a passed ball putting the first run 60 feet away. Washington however was stranded there keeping the game scoreless.
Liberty struck in the top of the third inning, bringing in one run on a single by Jessica Moore to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. The Lancers were able to get out of a jam after the Flames loaded the bases getting the final two outs to keep the game at a one run deficit.
Longwood came right back in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Emily Radford/Tacoma, Wash. (Fife) hit a three-run home run over the centerfield fence to give Longwood the 3-1 lead. Washington reached first on a fielder’s choice and moved to third on single by Kaitlyn McKeown/Gordonsville (Orange County) to put runners at second and third with two outs. Radford then took a inside pitch and sent it over the centerfield fence for the 3-1 lead.
Liberty threatened in the sixth inning, loading the bases with one out, but Amy Betterton/Rocky Mount (New Franklin County) made a diving play and threw out the player at home to keep game at a two run deficit. Rachel Mills/Quinton (New Kent County) got the following batter to ground out ending the inning.
Longwood tacked on a run in the bottom of the six inning after Betterton put down a bunt that score Washington from third to give the Lancers the 4-1 lead.
The Flames battled back in the top of the seventh inning and brought the game within one with no outs. Ashley Forsyth/Freehold, N.J. (Freehold) came in for relief of Mills in the ninth after Beth Bennett doubled through the left side to bring in one run and bring the deficit to 4-3. The Flames brought in another run but was unable to bring in the equalizer at third giving the Lancers the win. Forsyth pitched strong in the final inning allowing no runs and no hits and struck out one.
In game two, Longwood looked to get on the board in its first at bat as Caitlin Hooe/Richmond (Douglas Freeman) hit a lead-off triple to putting a runner on with no outs. Hooe tried to get the Lancers on the board off a single from Ketsdever, but was thrown out at home keeping the game scoreless.
Liberty and Longwood kept the game scoreless through four innings, until Dawn Jeffs hit a triple to right center to score J’nae Jefferson for the 1-0 lead. Jeffs came in one batter later on a double by Shannon McKain to pad the Flames’ lead to two runs after four and a half innings.
The Lancers would not go down without a fight, as Longwood loaded the bases on with one out. Radford started things off with a pop fly that dropped between the third baseman, catcher and pitcher. Ava Schmitz/Newport News (Denbigh) came in and pinch ran for Radford and moved over to second on a bunt by Forsyth. After a single by Kristina Garrison/Alexandria (Mount Vernon) loaded the bases with no outs, Pepper Wilson/Mechanicsville (Lee-Davis) hit a single to right center to score Schmitz and Garrison to tie the game at two after five innings.
Liberty was able to take the lead in the top of the sixth inning bringing two runs across the plate for the 4-2 lead. Swor hit a double to left field to bring in Ashley Williams at second to break the 2-2 tie. The Flames were able to bring in an insurance run later in the inning to pad their lead to two runs.
Forsyth pitched until the seventh inning as Mills came in for relief. Forsyth went six innings allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out three.
Longwood fought back in the bottom of the seventh inning as lead-off Garrison got on with a bunt that went over the charging first baseman’s head and dropped right in front of the second baseman to put the lead-off batter on and the top of Longwood’s line-up coming up. Liberty’s Terra Lowe got the next two Lancer batters to out and walked Ketsdever and Washington to load the bases with two outs. McKeown came up and hit a 2-2 pitch down the left field line to clear the bases and give the Lancers the 5-4 win.
