Box Score

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Freshman Emily Murphy/Virginia tied a program record with three home runs, while adding five RBI and three runs scored to propel the No. 3 seeded Longwood University softball team to an 8-6 victory against No. 2 Campbell University (39-21) in a semifinal game at the 2013 Big South Conference Championship. This was the Lancers' second victory of the day against Campbell, as the squad eliminated the higher seed with the decision in this afternoon's “if necessary” game. Sophomore Chelsea Sciacca/Whittier, California recorded two hits in the outing with one RBI and one run scored, while sophomore Megan Baltzell/Stafford added to her program and conference record with her 30th home run of the season. Sophomore pitcher Libby Morris/Dillwyn pitched her way to her fourth consecutive win at the tournament with three strikeouts and four earned runs in a complete-game performance. Longwood (40-18) advances to take on either No. 1 Coastal Carolina University or No. 5 Winthrop University in the title game tomorrow, Sunday, May 12. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. for the “winner take all” championship, which will be broadcast live on ESPNU.

“That game was the most exciting game we've played this year because it was for something so important to us,” said head coach Kathy Riley. “What can you say about Emily Murphy and her three home runs. She put us on her back a little bit and I think Libby did the same again like we've talked about her for the last three games, but all in all, it was still a team effort. Everybody was involved in the game. One thing that was really beautiful about this afternoon's game is we never got out of control. We really stayed under control at the plate with our at-bats and we stayed under control on defense when they put pressure on us, so I feel really good about going into tomorrow, as long as we have the same approach we did today.”

The Longwood side was retired in order in the top of the first with back-to-back strikeouts and a fly out to center. Campbell took the momentum into the home half of the inning, using a fielding error to get the leadoff batter on base. After a bunt single to put runners on the corners, senior Jordan Cox/Springfield (1-4, 1 RBI) looked the lead runner back before getting an out at first on the next play. However, a two-RBI single up the middle broke the game open, giving Campbell an early advantage. The Fighting Camels then pulled ahead, 3-0, on a base hit up the middle before Longwood was able to put an end to the rally.

The Lancers retaliated in the top of the second, as Sciacca sent a fly ball high and deep to the wall in left center for a leadoff double. Murphy stepped in the box with one out and drilled a long ball over the fence in center to pull Longwood within one at 3-2. Cox followed with a two-bagger of her own that landed just inside the foul line in the left field corner, and Shinrock drew a walk, but both runners were stranded there. Campbell logged a one-out double in its next at-bat, but the Lancers got out of the inning unscathed when Baltzell reined in a foul fly behind the plate and Morris logged a strikeout.

Longwood erased the deficit in the top of the third with a leadoff homer from Baltzell, knotting the game at 3-3. Senior Brooke Short/Hurt (0-2, 1 run) earned a walk and advanced to second on a groundout by Sciacca before freshman Carly Adams/Colonial Heights (1-3, 1 run, 1 bb) and Murphy drew walks of their own to load the bases. Cox then hit into a fielder's choice, but was able to record the RBI, as the Camels took the force out at third and Short beat the throw home to give the Lancers a 4-3 edge. The Fighting Camels put their leadoff batter on base with an error in the bottom of the inning, but Longwood cleanly executed a double play around the horn to put two outs on the board and forced a groundout for No. 3. 

Baltzell and Short both walked with one out in the top of the fourth and Sciacca came up with a critical hit through the left side to plate Baltzell, making the scoring 5-3. After Campbell went three up and three down Murphy notched another long ball in the top of the fifth when she turned on an inside pitch and cranked it over the fence in left to put Longwood ahead, 6-3.

The Fighting Camels would not go quietly, though, logging back-to-back singles in their next at-bat. Later in the inning, the squad was able to load the bases and score one on a long sacrifice fly to left, cutting the margin to two. The next batter hit a RBI double to left center to make it 6-5, but the Lancers got the third out on the same play with a rundown at home.

Both sides were quickly retired in the sixth, bringing Longwood to the plate for its final at-bat. Adams logged a one-out blooper to shallow left before Murphy crushed her third homer of the day to give the Lancers breathing room at 8-5. Freshman Jamie Barbour/Amelia followed with a triple down the right field line, but would be stranded there. The Fighting Camels posted two hits and scored one run in the bottom of the inning, but Murphy fielded a grounder and tossed the ball to Adams at second to end the game and seal the 8-6 victory.