March 8, 2011

Box Score - Longwood 2, Virginia 1
Box Score - Longwood 10, Virginia 8

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The Longwood University softball team defeated the University of Virginia of the Atlantic Coast Conference 2-1 and 10-8 on Tuesday afternoon in Charlottesville. The Lancers (12-3) were led offensively by senior Briana Wells|Romoland, Calif. (Paloma Valley) who went 3-for-6 with a game-clinching two-run home run in the second game while sophomore Jordan Cox|Springfield (Robert E. Lee) went 3-for-7 with a three-run home run in the second game against the Cavaliers (12-9). Senior Nichole Simmons|Chesapeake (Hickory) had the game-winning single in the sixth inning in the first game for the Lancers. Wells went 2-0 with seven strikeouts in 14 innings the circle. Longwood returns to action on Friday, March 11, when it faces the University of Hawai'i in the Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament in Honolulu, Hawaii at 11 p.m. ET.

The first game was a pitchers duel with the Cavaliers' Erica Cipolloni (1-2) getting the first hit of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. She advanced to second on a sacrifice and then stole third base and scored from third on a throwing error by Wells. The Lancers answered in the top of the sixth inning when senior Kami Nuckols|Glen Allen (Patrick Henry) (1-3) hit a two-out bunt single to third base. She advanced to third base on a single to right field by senior Maggie Margadonna|Sea Girt, N.J. (Wall Township) (1-3) and scored on a single by sophomore Brooke Short|Altavista (Altavista) (1-3). Margadonna scored on a single by Simmons (1-3) to put the Lancers ahead 2-1. The Cavaliers had baserunners in the final two innings but stranded two runners each inning in the loss.

Wells (10-3, 2.34 ERA) received the win after giving up one run on three hits with four strikeouts in seven innings. Melanie Mitchell (7-7) received the loss after giving up two runs on four hits with eight strikeouts.

Both teams found their offensive rhythm early in the second game. UVa scored one run in the top of the first inning when Alison Pittman scored on a sacrifice fly by Marcy Bowdren. The Lancers pulled ahead with two runs in the top of the second inning. Wells (3-3, 3R, 3 RBI) and Cox (3-4, 5 RBI) hit back-to-back RBI singles to give Longwood the 2-1 lead. The Lancers added to the lead in the top of the fourth inning when Cox hit a RBI double down the leftfield line. Junior Leigh Sexton|Suffolk (Randolph College) (1-1) had a pinch-hit RBI single, then Margadonna (0-3, RBI) hit a sacrifice fly to right field to put Longwood ahead 5-1.The Cavaliers answered with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. All of the runs were unearned after an error and two wild pitches. Cox hit a two-out, three-run home run that scored Wells and senior Tricia Nelson|Plainfield, Ill. (Plainfield Central) (2-3, 4R) in the top of the fifth inning to pull ahead 8-4. The Cavaliers got one run back in the bottom of the sixth inning on a RBI double by Alexa Martinez (1-2), but Wells hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning to put Longwood ahead 10-5. Stephanie Harris (2-4) hit a two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh for UVa, but Wells struck out Martinez to end the game.

Wells earned the victory after giving up eight runs, six earned, on nine hits with three strikeouts in seven innings. Erica Cipolloni (3-2) received the loss after giving up five runs on six hits and three walks in three innings.