Box Score

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Six different Lancers recorded one hit apiece, as the No. 3 Longwood University softball team was upset by No. 6 Liberty University (20-35) on Thursday evening in the squads' first game of the 2013 Big South Conference Championship at Terry Field in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Longwood (36-18) and Liberty were tied, 3-3, heading into the seventh inning before a solo homer proved to be the winning run for the Lady Flames. Sophomores Megan Baltzell/Stafford (1-4, 1 run) and Katie Shinrock/Fountain Valley, Calif. combined for Longwood's three RBI in the outing. Sophomore pitcher Libby Morris/Dillwyn threw 4.2 innings in relief with four strikeouts, three hits and two runs scored to record the decision in the circle. Liberty advances to play No. 2 Campbell University on Friday, May 10 beginning at 4:30 p.m. Longwood will take on No. 7 Gardner-Webb University in an elimination game on Friday starting at 11:30 a.m.

“Liberty came out and really swung the bat at the beginning of the game,” said head coach Kathy Riley. “They put us on our heels a little bit when they got two home runs and took that 3-0 lead. I thought our team scratched back pretty well after that and we gave ourselves opportunities. We had some people on base and we had better at-bats as the game went on. Granted, it would have been nice for us to come through and put another run across when we had people on base, but I thought we did a good job coming back after getting behind. The fact is, they got three home runs and that's really what won the game for them tonight.”

The Flames' leadoff batter legged out an infield single to start off the first inning. The runner advanced on a sacrifice bunt and tried to take third on the same play, but was thrown out by freshman Carly Adams/Colonial Heights (1-2, 1 run). Liberty managed to get on the board, however, with a two-run home run over the fence in right center. The Lancers held the Flames at two, as sophomore Chelsea Sciacca/Whittier, Calif. (0-3) made a diving catch in right field to end the inning. Longwood tried to make noise in its first at-bat when sophomore Kori Nishitomi/Kaneohe, Hawaii (1-2, 1 run) drew a leadoff walk and stole second, but she was stranded there after the next three Lancers were retired.

In the second inning, Liberty recorded a hard double to left center, but Longwood cleanly executed a rundown to pick off the lead runner at third. The squad got out of the inning unscathed, as Baltzell notched the third out on a pop up in foul territory. After the Lancers went three up and three down in the home half of the inning, the Flames used another long ball to extend its margin to 3-0 with one out in the top of the third. Morris was then called out of the bullpen, and registered a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning.

The Longwood offense came to life in the bottom of the third, logging its first three hits of the night. Nishitomi connected for a two-out double to left, extending the inning to bring up Baltzell, who drilled a home run to center to cut the deficit to just one at 3-2. Longwood retired the Liberty side in order in the top of the fourth with a pair of groundouts and a strike out from Morris. In the bottom of the inning, Adams placed a bunt along the third base line for a single and senior Jordan Cox/Springfield (1-3) followed with base hit to shallow center. Shinrock stepped in the box with two outs and hit a blooper to left to score Adams and knot the score at 3-3. Nishitomi then battled through a 12 pitch at-bat to draw a walk and load the bases, but the Flames forced a pop-up to leave the runners there.

Neither side was able to plate a run in the next two innings, although Longwood threatened once again in the fifth. Senior Brooke Short/Hurt (1-2, 2 bb) led off with a walk and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Emily Murphy/Virginia Beach (0-3) to move into scoring position, but the Lancers were unable to capitalize on the opportunity, as Short was caught stealing third.

The game-changer came in the top of the seventh when Liberty's leadoff batter turned on the first pitch she saw, and sent it high and deep over the fence in left center, giving the Flames a 4-3 lead. The next batter recorded an infield single and advanced to third on back-to-back groundouts before scoring an insurance run for her squad on a hard hit single down the third base line. The Lancers were unable to close the gap in their final at-bat, giving the Flames the 5-3 victory.