Box Score

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Freshman Emily Murphy/Virginia Beach hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning to score what proved to be the winning run, as the No. 3 seed Longwood University softball team defeated No. 9 Charleston Southern University (15-40), 8-2, on Friday evening in an elimination game at the 2013 Big South Conference Championship. The Lancers (38-18), who sealed the decision with a five-run rally in the bottom of the sixth, tied the program's all-time record for most wins in a season that was last set back at in 1999 (NCAA Division II). Three Lancers tallied a pair of RBI apiece in the outing, including senior Brooke Short/Hurt, who went 2-for-4 at the plate with one run scored. Sophomore pitcher Libby Morris/Dillwyn picked up her second victory on the day, allowing just one run with three strikeouts. Longwood advances to take on No. 2 Campbell University in the semifinals on Saturday, May 11 beginning at 9 a.m. If the Lancers defeat the Fighting Camels, an if necessary game will be played at a time yet to be determined to decide which team will move on to the “winner take all” championship game on Sunday, May 12.

“It was great to win again,” said head coach Kathy Riley. “I was so thankful when we won the last game when it was close, so it was great just to get to play seven more innings. We were looking forward to having a better complete game and now we get to play tomorrow, so we're really happy about it. It felt a lot more like what we're used to with us going up to the plate and having better at-bats.

“What really set us off tonight was a nice play by Katie Shinrock in terms of coming home and sliding around the catcher to get us our first run. It really got us back in the game and had us feeling good. The other really big factor was Libby Morris pitched great again. This is two games in a row that she's pitched outstanding, and all we had to do was pick up ground balls and throw them to first tonight.”

Longwood forced two quick outs in the Buccaneers' first at-bat with a long fly ball to right and a groundout. Although a base hit to left field extended the inning, freshman Carly Adams/Colonial Heights (0-3, 1 run, 1 bb) fielded a slow roller to end the inning. In the bottom of the first, sophomore Megan Baltzell/Stafford (2-3, 1 run, 1 RBI) ripped a one-out single up the middle, but was out on a fielder's choice by Short. Sophomore Chlesea Sciacca/Whittier, California (1-4) followed with a hard liner that was snagged by the CSU shortstop to strand Short and keep the game scoreless.

Longwood retired the Buccaneers' side in order in the top of the second, thanks to a strikeout from Morris, and a pair of ground ball outs by Adams and senior Jordan Cox/Springfield (0-2), but the Lancers also went three up and three down in the home half of the inning.  Charleston Southern got on the board in the top of the third. The squad's leadoff batter sent a sharply hit ball to right and dove headfirst into the bag to beat the quick throw from Sciacca. The next hitter turned to lay down the sacrifice bunt, but instead earned a single when Baltzell waited to field the ball that was spinning foul. The Lancers recorded the first out when Murphy made a heads-up decision to get the lead runner at third base, but the Lady Bucs scored on the next play with a single to center. Longwood ended the rally quickly, though, thanks to a strikeout by Morris and an unassisted put out by Murphy. 

The Lancers retaliated in their next trip to the plate, as freshman Jamie Barbour/Amelia (0-1, 1 run, 2 bb) got things started with a leadoff walk and sophomore Katie Shinrock/Fountain Valley, Calif. (1-3, 1 run) followed with a single through the left side. Later in the inning, with two outs and two runners on, Short sent a slow roller to second and legged out a RBI single, as Shinrock beat the throw home to score on the same play and knot the game at 1-1. Longwood kept the momentum going, forcing three consecutive outs in the Lady Bucs' next at-bat. In the bottom of the fourth, the Lancers pulled ahead, 3-1, when Adams walked and Murphy followed with a two-run shot over the fence in left center.

Charleston Southern went three up and three down once again in the fifth. Nishitomi and Baltzell were both hit by pitches to put Lancers on first and second in the home half of the inning, however, CSU picked up three-straight outs to get out of the situation unscathed. The Buccaneers started the sixth with a single to center, but the Lancers then recorded two consecutive outs at second and Morris notched a strikeout. Longwood secured the decision with five runs on two outs in the home half of the inning. Murphy walked to start the at-bat, stole second and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Barbour walked to put runners on the corners before Nishitomi sat on a change up and ripped a base-clearing double to center to give the Lancers a 5-1 advantage. Baltzell plated Nishitomi with a RBI single and Short followed with a RBI double. Sciacca then logged an infield base hit before Adams reached on an error that plated Short, giving Longwood an 8-1 margin.

In CSU's final chance at the plate, the squad's leadoff batter reached on a two-base error. Senior relief pitcher Ashley Cornell/Portsmouth earned a strikeout for the first out of the inning and Cox fielded a ground ball to make it two. A second Longwood error allowed the Buccaneers to score a run, but another groundout ended the game at 8-2 in favor of the Lancers.