April 8, 2010

BOX SCORE: LONGWOOD 9, ELON 0
BOX SCORE: LONGWOOD 4, ELON 0

ELON, N.C. – The Longwood University softball team picked up a pair of win at Elon University on Thursday evening, winning the first game 9-0 and the second game 4-0 in six innings. Junior Briana Wells/Romoland, Calif. (Paloma Valley) picked up a pair of shutout wins to improve to 23-5 on the season. Wells allowed just four hits in 13 innings, including just one hit in the second game. Longwood (27-11) returns to action on Saturday, April 10, when it travels to Baltimore, Maryland, to take on the University of Maryland Baltimore County at 1 p.m..    

In the first game, the Lancers grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning when sophomore Ashley Kramer/Ashburn (Broad Run) (2-3, 3 RBI) hit a two-RBI single to left field to score sophomore Brittney Latka/Purcellville (Loudon Valley) and classmate Courtney Long/Mechanicsville (Hanover). The Lancers continued to score in the fifth inning when Kramer hit another RBI single that scored junior Kami Nuckols/Glen Allen (Patrick Henry) (3-4, 2 runs). Senior Camille Ketsdever/Irvine, Calif. (Irvine) (1-2, RBI) followed with another RBI single that scored junior Maggie Margadonna/Sea Girt, N.J. (Wall Township). Senior Amy Betterton/Rocky Mount (Franklin County) drove in Kramer for the third run of the inning, giving Longwood the 5-0 lead. The Lancers tacked on four runs in the seventh inning, the first when Betterton walked with the bases loaded to score Nuckols. Kramer scored on a wild pitch before Betterton and Ketsdever scored a pair of runs after a error by the shortstop.

Wells picked up the win after scattering three hits over seven shutout innings with five strikeouts. Lauren Taylor (11-4) received the loss for Elon (24-10) after giving up eight runs, five earned, on eight hits and four walks with four strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.

In the second game, the Lancers got on the board in the first inning when Nuckols (2-3) scored on an error by the catcher. Longwood added another run in the second inning when Ketsdever (1-3) scored when Long (2-2, RBI) put down a bunt. The Lancers got a couple of insurance runs in the fifth inning, the first when Nuckols scored after a throwing error by the catcher on a stolen base by Margadonna (1-3). Margadonna would score on a Kramer groundout to second base to give Longwood the 4-0 lead after 4 1/2 innings.

Wells was strong in the circle again, throwing her second-straight shutout while allowing just one hit with three strikeouts. Pam DelPizzo (2-3) received the loss after give up four runs, one earned, on seven hits in six innings.