3.18.2012

BOX SCORE

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Longwood University took a 14-4 weather-delayed, six-inning softball victory past Ohio University of the Mid-American Conference Sunday on the final day of the Charleston Southern Tournament hosted by future Big South Conference opponent Charleston Southern University in South Carolina.  The Lancers (18-9) were led by senior Courtney Long|Mechanicsville (Hanover) with four hits and five RBI, freshman Megan Baltzell|Stafford (Mountain View) with two hits and three RBI, and senior Ashley Kramer|Ashburn (Broad Run) with a hit and three RBI as well, while freshman Libby Morris|Dillwyn (Buckingham County) gained the pitching win against the Bobcats (9-11).  Longwood will play again on Wednesday, March 21, hosting in-state opponent James Madison University of the Colonial Athletic Association for a doubleheader at Lancer Field in Farmville at 4 p.m.

Longwood took a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Long (4-4, 5 RBI) hit a clutch two-out, two-run single.  The Lancers made it 4-0 in the third as Kramer (1-2, 3 RBI) provided the clutch, two-out, two-run single during the at-bat.  Ohio scored two runs in the third as well with three singles while aided by an error.  Longwood broke the game open with four runs in the fourth after Long added a run-scoring single, as did Baltzell (2-3, 3 RBI), along with an unearned run via a throwing error, and a bases-loaded walk drawn by Kramer that made it 8-2.

Ohio added two more runs in the fourth before Longwood scored another run in the fifth to lead 9-4 as Long hit a lead-off double and later crossed the plate on a wild pitch.  At that point, the contest endured a three hour weather delay before resuming with the Lancers plating five more runs in the sixth en route to the shortened ending due to the eight-run rule.  In the sixth, senior Brittney Latka|Purcellville (Loudoun Valley) (2-4, RBI) had an RBI double, Long added a two-run single, and Baltzell contributed a two-run home run  -- her sixth this season that is second on the team.  Freshman Kori Nishitomi|Kaneohe, Hawaii (Maryknoll) (2-5) had two hits in the game as well.

Morris (8-5) gained the pitching win for Longwood with first 3.0-plus innings, allowing five hits and four runs, all earned, with one walk and one strikeout.  Junior Ashley Cornell|Portsmouth (Churchland) tossed the final 3.0 scoreless innings for the Lancers, yielding just one hit with one walk and two strikeouts.