March 13, 2010

BOX SCORE: LONGWOOD 3, UNC WILMINGTON 2
BOX SCORE: LONGWOOD 17, GARDNER-WEBB 1

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Longwood University swept a pair of softball games on Saturday at the Winthrop/adidas Invitational in Rock Hill, South Carolina, defeating UNC Wilmington 3-2 in the first game before exploding for 17 runs, including a 10-run seventh inning, in a 17-1 victory over Gardner-Webb University. Junior Nichole Simmons/Chesapeake (Hickory) drove in two runs in the first game while classmate Briana Wells/Romoland, Calif. (Paloma Valley) went 2-0 in the circle and improved to 12-3 on the season. The Lancers hit five home runs in the second game for the second time this season. Longwood returns to action on Sunday, March 14, when it faces Providence College at 9 a.m. and USC Upstate at 1 p.m. in Rock Hill.

Against UNCW (2-16), senior Camille Ketsdever/Irvine, Calif. (Irvine) (1-2, HR) hit a solo home run to lead off the second inning and give Longwood the 1-0 lead. The Lancers added to the lead in the third inning when Simmons doubled to left field, scoring freshmen Brooke Short/Altavista (Altavista) (1-3, 2B) and junior Maggie Margadonna/Sea Girt, N.J. (Wall Township) (1-3) to give Longwood the 3-0 lead. UNCW would not go quietly as they scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on a Katie Houmard home run off junior Brittany Spencer/Virginia Beach (First Colonial) (1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER). Spencer walked the first batter in the fifth inning and gave up a single to the second before being replaced by Wells who hit the first batter before getting three outs to end the threat. Wells retired the Seahawks in order in the seventh inning to preserve the victory. She pitched six hitless and scoreless innings with one strikeout.

UNC Wilmington was led by Houmard who went 1-for-2 and drove in both runs. Amanda Aditays (1-6) was saddled with the loss after giving up three runs in seven innings with seven strikeouts.

Against Gardner-Webb, the Bulldogs got on the board first when McKenzie Morenus drove in one run in the bottom of the first inning. Longwood answered with a three-run fourth inning with all three runs coming on a home run by senior Amy Betterton/Rocky Mount (Franklin County) (1-2, HR, 3 RBI) to give Longwood the 3-1 lead. The Lancers added one run in the top of the fifth inning when Wells (2-4, HR, 3 RBI) helped her own cause with a leadoff home run to put Longwood ahead 4-1 after five innings. Short (3-5, 2 HR, 4 RBI) led off with a home run in the sixth inning and Wells added another two-RBI single, scoring Ashley Kramer/Ashburn (Broad Run) (1-4) and Simmons to put Longwood ahead 7-1. Longwood scored 10 runs in the seventh inning, the first two coming on singles by Short and sophomore Brittney Latka/Purcellville (Loudon Valley) (2-2, RBI). Freshman Jordan Cox/Springfield (Robert E. Lee) (1-2, HR, 4 RBI) hit the second home run of her career and her first grand slam to give Longwood six runs in the inning before any outs were recorded. Margadonna (3-4, 2 RBI) hit a two-RBI double and Short added her second home run of the game, this one a two-run shot, to give Longwood the 17-1 victory.

Wells scattered five hits over six innings and gave up one run while striking out six. The loss went to Christine Murray (3-6) who gave up five runs in five innings.