April 12, 2008
Game One
Game Two
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Longwood University (21-16) dropped its double header against East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tenn., on Saturday afternoon, falling 4-3 in game one and 3-2 in the second game. The Lancers received a stellar performance from sophomore Cami Ketsdever/Irvine, Calif. (Irvine) who batted 2-3 in game one and 2-4 in the second game. Longwood returns to action on April 15 when the team heads to Lynchburg to face Liberty in a double header at 2 p.m.
The Lancers jumped to an early 3-0 lead in the third inning of action, after receiving singles from Ketsdever and seniors Caitlin Hooe/Richmond (Douglas Freeman) and Ryan Washington/Bealeton (Liberty) that would load the bases. Freshman Nichole Simmons/Chesapeake (Hickory) earned two RBI’s after singling through the left side, allowing for Hooe and Ketsdever to come home. Washington would follow suit moments later, after junior catcher Emily Radford/Tacoma, Wash. (Fife) reached base on a fielding error by the right fielder.
ETSU earned a run back in the bottom of the third inning, before tying the game 3-3 in the fifth inning. The Bucs earned its two runs in the fifth after loading the bases with no outs, before senior pitcher Rachel Mills/Quinton (New Kent County) buckled down striking out the next batter and forcing the next two to ground out.
The game was primed for extra innings as the game headed into the bottom of the seventh inning still tied at 3-3. The Lancers had the Bucs down to their final out with a runner on third base, when Katy Jett hit the ball to the right side and barely beat out the throw to first. The single allowed the runner at third to come home and hand the Lancers a tough 4-3 loss.
The Lancers were out hit by the Bucs 7-5, while ETSU committed two errors. Both teams struggled to take advantage of its runners on base, each leaving four on base.
The Lancers struggle to score runners left on base carried over into game two as eight runners were stranded, despite out hitting the Bucs 7-4.
Longwood had a chance to take an early lead in the top of the first inning, when freshman Tricia Nelson/Plainfield, Ill. (Plainfield Central) doubled to left center sending Ketsdever, who was on second, racing home. Despite her best efforts, Ketsdever was unable to beat out the throw to the plate from the ETSU shortstop, ending the Lancers inning.
Freshman pitcher Briana Wells/Romoland, Calif. (Paloma Valley) had a strong showing, holding the ETSU batters to one hit through four innings. The Bucs would find a grove in the fifth inning scoring three runs on three hits, earning two of them from a Jett double to left center.
Hooe would help the Lancers mount a late game comeback in the top of the sixth inning, leading off the inning with a single to right field. Freshman Michelle Phillips/Powhatan (Powhatan) knocked in the Lancers two runs of the inning, hitting a single to center field that brought Hooe and Washington around to score. Longwood would get close to tying up the game in the seventh inning, but would not be able to take advantage of a bases loaded situation.
