April 19, 2009
BOX SCORE: Longwood 1, Howard 0
BOX SCORE: Longwood 8, Howard 6
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Longwood University swept a pair of softball games against Howard University on Sunday afternoon in Washington, D.C.. The Lancers won 1-0 in the first game and followed with an 8-6 decision in the second game. Longwood improved to 21-18 while Howard fell to 12-26.
Briana Wells/Romoland, Calif. (Paloma Valley) pitched a three-hit shutout and hit the game-winning home run in the first game. The Lancers return to the diamond on Tuesday, April 21, traveling to Blacksburg for a doubleheader at Virginia Tech starting at 5 p.m.
The first game was a classic pitchers duel. Howard threatened to score first after putting together back-to-back singles to start the second inning. Wells got Aisha Ledet to ground into a double play followed by a Trina Kindred groundout to first base to end the threat. After working out of trouble in the previous inning, Wells helped her own cause to start the third inning, belting a leadoff home run to center field off of Carly Martin to give Longwood a 1-0 lead.
Lashunda Davis/Natalie (Halifax County) hit a one-out double later in the inning but was stranded after two fly outs. Wells pitched seven innings, giving up three hits and striking out one. Martin pitched seven innings giving up one run on two hits.
The bats came alive for both teams in the second game.
Nichole Simmons/Chesapeake (Hickory) started the action with a leadoff home run in the first inning.
Kami Nuckols/Glen Allen (Patrick Henry) singled, stole second and came home on a
Camille Ketsdever/Irvine, Calif. (Irvine) single. Ketsdever advanced to third when
Courtney Long/Mechanicsville (Hanover) reached on an error. Ketsdever was caught trying to steal home and Long advanced to third on the play.
Emily Radford/Tacoma, Wash. (Fife) hit a sacrifice fly to score Long and give Longwood a 3-0 lead after one-half inning. The Bison got two runs back in the bottom of the first inning and were threatening to score more, but
Tricia Nelson/Plainfield, Ill. (Plainfield Central) had an unassisted double play to end the inning. Howard added two more runs in the third inning to take a 4-3 lead. Longwood would tie the game in the top of the fifth inning when
Brittney Latka/Purcellville (Loudon Valley) scored after a throwing error by the pitcher. The Bison added one run in the bottom of the fifth to take a 5-4 lead. Longwood tied the game in the sixth inning when Long scored on a RBI single by
Amy Betterton/Rocky Mount (Franklin County). The Lancers would pull ahead in the top of the seventh inning. Long hit a single through the left side with two runners on and eventually came around to score on the same play after a throwing error on the catcher. Three runs scored on the play and the Lancers took an 8-5 lead. Howard got one run back in the bottom of the seventh but could not pull closer.
Brittany Spencer/Virginia Beach (First Colonial) started the second game and went four innings, giving up five runs, three earned, on eight hits while striking out three. Wells picked up the win after throwing three innings in relief, giving up one run. Long and Simmons both had two hits in the second game.
