Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

FARMVILLE, Va. – Sophomore Megan Baltzell/Stafford went 3-for-7 at the plate with one walk and one run to post a .429 average for the day, as the Longwood University softball team (33-16, 13-7 BSC) dropped a pair of decisions to Big South Conference opponent Presbyterian College (22-27, 7-13 BSC) on Friday afternoon at Lancer Field in Farmville. Four different Lancers tallied one RBI apiece to add to the squad's offensive effort. Senior Ashley Cornell/Portsmouth paced Longwood in the circle, allowing four runs and striking out three in 10.2 innings pitched for a 2.62 ERA on the day. Longwood and Presbyterian will square off in the series finale tomorrow, Saturday, April 27. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN3.

Presbyterian jumped out to an early advantage with four hits in the top of the first of game one, starting with a one-out single to right. The next batter sent a sharply hit ground ball up the middle for a RBI double, giving the visiting team a 1-0 edge. PC followed with two more base hits to make it 2-0. Cornell came out of the bullpen to relieve sophomore Libby Morris/Dillwyn (2.1 IP, 6.00 ERA, 2 SO) and forced a pair of groundouts to retire the side.

The 2-0 margin stood until the bottom of the third inning, although Longwood threatened to pull ahead in the bottom of the second. In that at-bat, freshman Emily Murphy/Virginia Beach (2-7, 1 run, 1 RBI) led off with a one-bagger and stole second before sophomore Chelsea Sciacca/Whittier, California (2-6, 1 run) roped a hit through the left side to put runners on the corners. Sciacca advanced to second uncontested and freshman Carly Adams/Colonial Heights (1-4, 1 RBI) drew a walk to load the bases. However, the PC defense tightened up and recorded three -straight outs to get out of the inning unscathed. The Lancers were able to get on the board during their next trip to the plate, as sophomore Kori Nishitomi/Kaneohe, Hawaii (2-8, 1 run) reached on an error, stole second and advanced to third on the PC catcher's errant throw before senior Brooke Short/Hurt drilled a RBI double to straight-away center, pulling Longwood within one at 2-1 after three complete.

The teams battled through another two and a half scoreless innings until the Lancers knotted the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth. Short got things started with a single through the right side and Murphy followed with a blooper down the right field line that was just out of reach of second baseman's glove. Pinch runner Casey Lifsey/Portsmouth (0-3) was caught stealing, but Sciacca reached on a fielder's choice, putting runners on first and third. Adams then sent a high fly to shallow center to make it 2-2.

Presbyterian broke the game open in the top of the seventh with consecutive hits and a walk to load the bases. A base clearing triple down the right field line made it 5-2 in favor of the Blue Hose and a RBI double up the middle gave PC a 6-2 margin. In their last chance at the dish, the Lancers put two runners on with hits from Nishitomi and Baltzell, but the home squad was unable to capitalize, as Presbyterian took game one, 6-2.

In the nightcap, Longwood retired the Presbyterian side in order in the top of the first and Balztell recorded a one-out single, but the home squad could not plate a run. The Blue Hose scored the first run of the game in the second after a pair of base hits and a fielder's choice. On the next play, PC scored on another fielder's choice, but the Lancers ended the inning on a head's up play by Cornell, who tossed the ball home to Baltzell for the sweeping tag and third out. Longwood left two more stranded in the bottom of the second, as Adams was hit by a pitch and freshman Jamie Barbour/Amelia (0-5, 1 bb) walked, but the home squad was able to tie the game at 1-1 in the third.

Presbyterian broke the stalemate in the fifth with back-to-back singles followed by a base-clearing double to deep left to take a 4-1 advantage. Longwood chipped away at the deficit with one run in the bottom of the sixth. Sciacca got on board with a single up the middle and Adams reached on a fielder's choice before both advanced on a wild pitch. Senior Jordan Cox/Springfield (0-5, 1 RBI) lifted a high fly to center to score Sciacca on the sacrifice, making it 4-2. Both sides left one runner on in the seventh, as Presbyterian earned the victory for the doubleheader sweep.