Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ELON, N.C. – Sophomore Chelsea Sciacca/Whittier, California went 4-for-7 at the plate with three RBI to lead the Longwood University softball team to a pair of victories at Elon University (12-21) on Tuesday. The Lancers (25-10) won the first game, 8-1, before taking the nightcap, 6-4. Senior Brooke Short/Hurt added to the offensive effort with a team-high four RBI on two hits, including a grand slam. Short and classmate Ashley Cornell/Portsmouth each picked up a win in the circle with three strikeouts and four hits apiece. Longwood will return to action on Thursday, April 4 when the squad travels to Norfolk State University for a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m.

Longwood jumped in front early in game one with three-runs in the top of the first. Sophomore Megan Baltzell/Stafford (2-7, 2 runs, 2 RBI) got things started with a double to right center. Short was hit by a pitch and freshman Emily Murphy/Virginia Beach (2-7, 2 runs) had an infield single to load the bases before Sciacca ripped a base-clearing double to left center to put the Lancers on top. Elon left a pair of runners stranded in the bottom of the inning before Longwood added one more to its lead when Barbour reached on a base hit, advanced on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Katie Shinrock/Fountain Valley, Calif. (1-6, 1 run) and scored unearned on an error, making it 4-0 in favor of the visitors.

The Lancers threatened to extend its margin in the third when freshman Carly Adams/Colonial Heights (2-7, 1 run, 1 RBI) posted a two-out single up the middle and senior Jordan Cox/Springfield (1-5) followed with a walk, but the Phoenix extinguished the opportunity. The hosts rolled the momentum into the bottom of the inning, as the squad used a pair of hits to post its first run of the day. Neither side was able to plate a run in the fourth inning, but Longwood went back to work in the fifth. Sciacca notched her second two-bagger of the day and Adams reached on an error by the Phoenix second baseman. In the next at-bat, Adams stole second to draw the throw down, allowing sophomore Casey Lifsey/Portsmouth (1 run), who had come on to pinch run for Sciacca, to score on the play and make it 5-1. Later in the inning and on a similar play, pinch runner Amy Putnam/Poquoson stole second, while Adams scored on the throw, giving Longwood a 6-1 advantage.

Longwood retired the Elon side in order in the sixth before adding its final two runs of the contest in the top of the seventh. Murphy started the four-hit rally with a single to center and Sciacca followed with an infield hit. Adams sent a chopper up the middle for the RBI before Cox singled through the left side to load the bases. Freshman Jamie Barbour/Amelia (2-6, 2 runs, 1 RBI) then sent a long fly ball to straight-away center for the sacrifice fly, giving the Lancers their 8-1 margin of victory.

In game two, the Lancers took advantage of their first at-bat once again when freshman Kori Nishitomi/Kaneohe, Hawaii (2-9, 2 runs) led off with a double to right center and Baltzell belted a home run to center, making it 2-0. Elon quickly answered this time, however, as the Phoenix score their first run on a Longwood miscue and knotted the game at 2-2 with a RBI single. The contest would not stay tied for long, though, thanks to a four-run second inning by the Lancers. Barbour, Shinrock and Nishitomi had consecutive singles to load the bases before Short ripped a grand slam to put Longwood ahead, 6-2.

Elon cut the deficit to just two in the bottom of the third with a pair of RBI doubles. The squads played a tough defensive battle in the final innings, combining for just three hits in four at-bats apiece. The Lancers shut down the Phoenix final attempt to plate a run in the bottom of the seventh to seal the 6-4 decision.