March 17, 2010

BOX SCORE: JAMES MADISON 9, LONGWOOD 8
BOX SCORE: LONGWOOD 16, JAMES MADISON 14

HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Longwood University softball team split a pair of games at James Madison University of the Colonial Athletic Association at Veterans Memorial Park in Harrisonburg, falling 9-8 in the first game before holding on for a 16-14 victory in the second game. Today's game was the first played in the new stadium. Freshman Brooke Short/Altavista (Altavista) went 5-for-8 in the two games with eight RBI and a home run while senior Amy Betterton/Rocky Mount (Franklin County) hit three solo home runs. The Lancers (15-8) return to action on Friday, March 19, when they host a doubleheader against the University of Albany at 2:30 at Lancer Field in Farmville.

In the second game, the Lancers jumped out to a 6-1 lead after two innings. The Lancers scored five runs in the second inning after Betterton and sophomore Ashley Kramer/Ashburn (Broad Run) hit back-to-back home runs before Short hit a three-run home run. Longwood added seven runs to its lead in the third inning when Betterton again hit a leadoff home run. Junior Maggie Margadonna/Sea Girt, N.J. (Wall Township) hit a RBI single before Short hit a three-run triple to center field. Junior Nichole Simmons/Chesapeake (Hickory) followed with a two-run home run to put Longwood ahead 13-1. The Dukes would not go quietly and scored four runs in the bottom of the third inning. The Lancers answered with three runs in the top of the fourth inning, the first on a RBI double by freshman Kellie Bridgeman/Dinwiddie (Dinwiddie), followed by a sacrifice fly by junior Kami Nuckols/Glen Allen (Patrick Henry). Short added another RBI single to extend Longwood's lead to 16-5 after 4 1/2 innings. JMU scored five runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth but junior Briana Wells/Romoland, Calif. (Paloma Valley) (14-4) settled down and did not allow a run in the final two innings to pick up the win.

Heather Dindinger (3-4) received the loss after giving up three runs on three hits in one inning.

In the first game, the Lancers scored one run in each of the first three innings before putting three runs on the board in the top of the fourth inning. Simmons scored in the first inning on a groundout by Short. Simmons homered to center field in the top of the third inning, the first home run in the new stadium. In the fourth inning, Kramer scored when Margadonna reached on a fielder's choice. Short got her second RBI of the game on a single through the right side, followed by a walk to senior Camille Ketsdever/Irvine, Calif. (Irvine) with the bases loaded for the third run of the inning, putting Longwood ahead 6-0. JMU answered with five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, aided by two hit batters, one of them with the bases loaded that scored a run. The Lancers got one run back in the top of the fifth inning when Nuckols singled to the short stop, scoring Kramer to put Longwood ahead 7-5. The Dukes answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame to take the 8-7 lead going in to the sixth inning. Betterton started the seventh inning with a solo home run to tie the game but JMU would load the bases in the bottom of the inning and score the game winning run when they drew a one-out walk with the bases loaded.

Wells received the loss after giving up nine runs, eight earned, on 13 hits in 5 2/3 innings. She hit two batters, both in the five-run fourth inning, and her only walk was in the seventh inning that allowed the winning run to score. Heather Widner (2-1) picked up the win for JMU after giving up two runs in 3 1/3 innings.