Box Score

FARMVILLE, Va. – Sophomore Megan Baltzell/Stafford went 2-for-3 at the plate with four RBI and one run scored to propel the Longwood University softball team to a 4-2 victory against Big South Conference opponent Presbyterian College (22-28, 7-14 BSC) on Senior Day at Lancer Field in Farmville. Sophomore Kori Nishitomi/Kaneohe, Hawaii added to the offensive effort with two hits of her own to tie the school's all-time record for hits in a season at 75. Senior Brooke Short/Hurt recorded the win in the circle, allowing five hits and striking out one in 6.2 innings pitched. Senior Ashley Cornell/Portsmouth came on in relief to finish the final inning, allowing just one hit and striking out one. Short, Cornell and classmate Jordan Cox/Springfield were all honored during a special pre-game ceremony. Longwood will wrap up the 2013 regular-season with a three-game series at Campbell University on May 4-5.

Longwood retired the Presbyterian side in order in the top of the first and threatened to jump out to an early lead in the bottom of the inning. Nishitomi roped a leadoff single past the Blue Hose shortstop to start things off. The speedy outfielder then stole second and freshman Emily Murphy/Virginia Beach (0-1, 1 bb) drew a two-out walk to put runners on first and second. Presbyterian was able to get out of the inning unscathed, however, with an infield pop fly.

The game remained scoreless through the second inning, as Presbyterian left a runner stranded in the top of the second and Longwood went three up and three down in the home half of the inning. In the third, PC's leadoff batter reached on a Longwood error and advanced to second on the same play, but was then caught stealing, as Baltzell threw down to Cox (0-3), who applied the sweeping tag. The visitors logged two more hits in the at-bat, but were unable to capitalize on the opportunity.

The Lancers got on the board in the bottom of the third, as Nishitomi drew a walk before Baltzell turned on inside pitch that she sent over the fence in right field and off stadium's scoreboard, giving Longwood a 2-0 advantage. Short followed with a single up the middle and Murphy was hit by a pitch, but neither one was able to cross the plate to extend the team's lead.  

After quickly sitting down the Presbyterian side, the Longwood offense went back to work in the fourth. Sophomore Katie Shinrock/Fountain Valley, California (1-3, 1 run) kept the inning alive with a two-out single to right field and Nishitomi followed with a base hit through the right side. Baltzell stepped in the box next and connected for another hard hit fly ball, this time falling just in front of the wall for a base-clearing triple to give the Lancers a 4-0 buffer.

Both sides played solid defense in the fifth and sixth innings to keep the four-run margin the same. After 10 consecutive PC batters failed to reach base, the squad snapped the streak in the top of the seventh with a leadoff single to center. The Blue Hose followed with another one bagger, this time to left, to put runners on first and second. The Lancers battled back and retired the next two batters. Cornell came out of the bullpen to relieve Short, and after getting ahead in the count, 0-2, gave up a base-clearing double. Cornell struck out the very next batter, however, to secure the 4-2 victory for the Lancers.