April 14, 2011

Box Score: @Georgetown 3, Longwood 2 (8)
Box Score: Longwood 8, @Georgetown 2

FARMVILLE, Va. - The Longwood University softball team split a doubleheader at Georgetown University of the Big East Conference on Thursday afternoon in Washington, D.C., falling in the first game 3-2 in eight innings before rebounding to win the second game 8-2. Senior Maggie Margadonna|Sea Girt, N.J. (Wall Township) went 3-for-8 in the two games with two doubles and three RBI while senior Briana Wells|Romoland, Calif. (Paloma Valley) went 3-for-7 with a home run for the Lancers (26-9) against the Hoyas (10-32). Longwood returns to action on Tuesday, April 19, when it travels to Blacksburg for a doubleheader against Virginia Tech of the Atlantic Coast Conference at 5 p.m.

In the second game, the Lancers scored four runs in the third inning. Sophomore Brooke Short|Altavista (Altavista) (2-4, 2 RBI, 2R) hit a two-out two-RBI single to right field to score Margadonna (0-4)and senior Nichole Simmons|Chesapeake (Hickory) (0-3). Junior Ashley Kramer|Ashburn (Broad Run) (2-4, 3 RBI) doubled to the gap in right-center field to drive in Short and sophomore Jordan Cox|Springfield (Robert E. Lee) (1-4) to put the Lancers ahead 4-0. Georgetown scored one run in the bottom of the third inning on an infield single by Callie Eward (1-2). Longwood responded with four more runs in the top of the fourth inning. Wells (1-4) hit a leadoff home run followed by a walk by junior Courtney Long|Mechanicsville (Hanover) (0-2). Senior Kami Nuckols|Glen Allen (Patrick Henry) (1-3) singled to left field, but was out at second base when Simmons hit in to a fielder's choice. Simmons stole second base and both her and Long advanced a base when the catcher's throw went to the outfield. Simmons scored from third on a RBI groundout by Margadonna, then Kramer drove in the final run of the inning to put Longwood ahead 8-1. Georgetown scored one run in the sixth inning when Danielle Cyr (0-0) walked with the bases loaded to make the final 8-2.

Wells (23-9, 2.15 ERA) earned the victory after giving up two runs on six hits with six strikeouts in seven innings. Melissa Conners (2-13) received the loss after giving up four runs, three earned, in three innings.

In the first game, the Hoyas scored two runs in the third inning, the first on a RBI double by Shikara Lowe  (2-4) and the second when Lowe scored on an error. The Lancers cut the deficit to one in the fifth inning when Simmons (2-4) started the inning with a single to left field. She stole second base and then scored on a double by Margadonna (3-4, 2 RBI, 2 2B) to make the score 2-1. Longwood forced extra innings after Margadonna knocked in Simmons with her second RBI double of the game to tie the game at 2-2 in the seventh inning. Georgetown scored the winning run in the eighth inning on a two-out single by Kristi Preuss (1-3) that scored Cara Savarese (2-3).

Wells received the loss after giving up three runs, two earned, on 10 hits in 7.2 innings. Mackensey Carter  (8-16) was credited with the win after allowing two runs on eight hits in eight innings.

Margadonna had a six-game hitting streak snapped in the second game. Margadonna hit .450 (9-20) with three home runs, three doubles and nine RBI during those six games.