February 25, 2010

Towson 6, Longwood 5 (8)
Longwood 3, Towson 2

FARMVILLE, Va. – The Longwood University softball team split a doubleheader with Towson University on Thursday afternoon, rallying to win the second game 3-2 after falling 6-5 in eight innings in the first game. The games were the first at Lancer Field this season after moving games to Newport News last weekend due to wet field conditions. Senior Amy Betterton/Rocky Mount (Franklin County) knocked a single up the middle in the fifth inning to put Longwood (4-4) ahead 3-2 in the second game. The Lancers return to action on Saturday, February 27, when they host Lehigh University at 11 a.m. and Ohio University at 3 p.m. at Lancer Field in Farmville.

In the second game, the Tigers (1-1) struck in the first inning when when a throwing error led to a runner scoring after stealing third base. The Tigers added another unearned run in the top of the third inning when Sammi DiPompo scored from first on an infield hit and a throwing error on first baseman Courtney Long/Mechanicsville (Hanover) to take a 2-0 lead. The Lancers cut in to the lead in the bottom of the inning when Kami Nuckols/Glen Allen (Patrick Henry) scored after advancing to third on a groundout by freshman Brooke Short/Altavista (Altavista) and going home when the Towson first baseman threw the ball past the third baseman. The Lancers would pull ahead in the bottom of the fifth inning when they loaded the bases for Betterton. Betterton singled up the middle, driving home Short and senior Camille Ketsdever/Irvine, Calif. (Irvine) and giving Longwood the 3-2 lead. Short improved to 1-1 on the season as she pitched seven innings, giving up two unearned runs on four hits with four strikeouts and three walks. The Lancers had 10 hits in the second game, led by Ketsdever who went 3-for-4. Dominique Ortega was the losing pitcher after giving up three runs, two of them earned, in six innings.

Longwood fell behind early in the first game, giving up two runs in the first inning, both of them unearned. The Lancers rallied in the bottom half of the inning, tying the game at 2-2. Nuckols scored on a single by Short. Junior Brittany Matthews/Farmville (Prince Edward) was hit by a pitch and came around to score on a single by sophomore Ashley Kramer/Ashburn (Broad Run). Towson scored three runs in the third inning on a three-RBI double by Courtney Wittner to take the 5-2 lead. Longwood rallied again in the bottom of the fifth inning as Matthews scored her second run of the game, this time on a RBI single by junior Nichole Simmons/Chesapeake (Hickory). Short added another run when she stole home as part of a double steal. Simmons would come around to score an unearned run when Kramer hit a ball right at the third baseman who let it run up her arm and in to the outfield. Towson would score the game-winning run in the top of the eighth when Brianna Jones was placed at second base due to the tiebreaker rule. Ortega pinch hit and sent a ball past the shortstop and Jones scored. Longwood could not score in the bottom half of the inning and fell 6-5. Short went 2-for-4 with one RBI and scored one run. Junior Maggie Margadonna/Sea Girt, N.J. (Wall Township) also went 2-for-4 with a double. Junior Briana Wells/Romoland, Calif. (Paloma Valley) started in the circle for Longwood and gave up five runs, three of them earned, on four hits and six walks in five innings. Junior Brittany Spencer/Virginia Beach (First Colonial) was saddled with the loss as she gave up one unearned run in three innings.