April 6, 2011
Box Score: Longwood 12, Radford 9
Box Score: Radford 3, Longwood 1
RADFORD, Va. - The Longwood University softball team split a doubleheader at Radford University of the Big South Conference, winning the first game 12-9 before falling 3-1 in the nightcap on Wednesday evening in Radford. Senior
Nichole Simmons|Chesapeake (Hickory) went 5-for-8 with a three-run home run and four runs scored to lead the Lancers (19-8) against the Highlanders (22-13). Longwood returns to action on Saturday, April 9, when it hosts the University of South Carolina of the Southeastern Conference at 1 p.m. at Lancer Field in Farmville on Youth Day. Admission is free to all home softball games.
In the first game, the Lancers led 4-1 after two innings, but the Highlanders scored four runs in the third inning to take the 5-4 lead. Longwood answered with four runs in the fourth to pull ahead 8-5. Radford trimmed the lead to one after two runs in the fifth inning, but a three-run home run by Simmons extended the Longwood lead to 11-7 in the sixth inning.
Longwood jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Simmons (4-4, 4 RBI, 3R) scored on a RBI single by senior
Maggie Margadonna|Sea Girt, N.J. (Wall Township) (2-5, 2 RBI). In the second inning, Margadonna hit a RBI single with the bases loaded, then sophomore
Brooke Short|Altavista (Altavista) (1-5, 2 RBI) followed with a two-run single to cap the three-run inning. RU scored one run in the second and then added four runs on four hits in the third inning. In the fourth inning, Short reached on an error and then sophomore
Jordan Cox|Springfield (Robert E. Lee) (4-5) had an infield single. Senior
Briana Wells|Romoland, Calif. (Paloma Valley) (1-4) sacrificed the runners over, then the Lancers hit five-straight singles to score four runs. The Highlanders scored two runs on four hits but stranded two runners in the fifth inning. Simmons hit a three-run home run for Longwood in the sixth inning and Nelson added a sacrifice fly in the seventh to put the Lancers ahead 12-7. The Highlanders added two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to make the final 12-9.
Wells (16-8, 2.13 ERA) earned the victory after giving up nine runs, eight earned, on 12 hits with seven strikeouts in seven innings. Stephanie Dameron (9-3) received the loss after giving up five runs, four earned, on seven hits in two innings.
In the second game, the Lancers again jumped to the early 1-0 lead in the first inning, but the Highlanders answered with two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take the 2-1 lead. RU added an insurance run in the fifth inning to win 3-1.
Simmons (1-4) hit a leadoff single in the first inning and scored on a triple by Short (1-3). Shannon Keefe (1-3) hit a two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to put the Highlanders ahead 2-1. Radford added one run in the fifth inning when Kristen Shifflett (2-3) and Nichole Beall (1-2) hit back-to-back doubles to start the inning. The Lancers stranded seven runners in the second game, including two runners in the seventh inning.
Wells received the loss after giving up three runs on five hits in six innings with two strikeouts and three walks. Dameron earned the win after giving up one run on five hits in 4.1 innings.
