April 15, 2008
Game One
Game Two
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Longwood University softball took two games from Big South member Liberty on Tuesday afternoon in Lynchburg. The Lancers improve to 23-16 after winning the first game 7-1 and taking the second game of the twinbill 3-0, courtesy of freshman Briana Wells/Romoland (Paloma Valley) first career no-hitter. Longwood returns home on Saturday, April 19 when they host Norfolk State at Lancer Field with game one beginning at 1 p.m.
The Lancers put together a two-run inning and one-run inning to go up 3-1 before pounding out four unanswered runs in the bottom of the seventh inning of the first game to take game one 7-1. Longwood would be held scoreless in game two until the fifth inning of game two, where they jumped to a 2-0 lead before taking the game 3-0 in the top of the seventh.
Senior Ryan Washington/Bealeton (Liberty) led the Lancer offense with two hits and four walks on the day, while scoring three of the teams runs. Wells and senior Rachel Mills/Quinton (New Kent County) pitched two strong games for the Lancers, with Mills earning her 11th win of the season after striking out seven Liberty batters in game one. In game two Wells also managed to strike out seven Blue Flame batters, while pitching her 10th complete game and earning her first no-hitter.
Freshman Tricia Nelson/Plainfield, Ill. (Plainfield Central) got things going in the opener with a double to left center that plated a pair of runs in the top of the first, giving the Lancers a 2-0 advantage. Liberty would cut Longwood’s lead to one in the bottom of the inning on a solo homerun over the left field fence. The score would remain 2-1 until the top of the third, when Nelson would hit her second double to left, scoring Washington. That’s where the score would stay until the top of the seventh when Longwood would take advantage of Liberty pitching to score four runs. Sophomore Cami Ketsdever/Irvine, Calif. (Irvine) drove in two of those runs with a single up the middle, while Washington accounted for two more runs when she doubled to right center.
Liberty (9-29-1) put together its best offensive threat in the third inning after having a player reach on and another on an error, however Mills worked her way out of the jam, not allowing a run to cross the plate.
Nelson led the offensive charge collecting two hits for the Lancers, while Ashley Williams hit 2-2 for the Blue Flames.
The Lancers finally scratched the scoreboard in game two when freshman Nichole Simmons/Chesapeake (Hickory) cracked her first homerun of the season with no outs and a runner on first in the top of the fifth, earning Wells a 2-0 lead.
Wells (10-7) was in control of the game from start to finish, not allowing the Blue Flames to get the bat on the ball. The freshman pitcher also received stellar defensive help from Washington who managed two double-plays. The Lancers ended the scoring in the top of the seventh when Simmons bunted Washington home.
Washington and Simmons ended the game 1-3 from the plate, while Beth Bennett reached base twice for Liberty after earning two walks.
