Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

FARMVILLE, Va. – The Longwood University softball team swept a doubleheader against in-state and Big South Conference rival Liberty University (2-23, 0-4) on Thursday afternoon at Lancer Field in Farmville. The Lancers secured a 3-2 win in eight innings in game one before earning a 9-1, mercy-rule decision in five innings in game two. Sophomore Emily Murphy/Virginia Beach went 4-for-6 (.667) at the plate with two runs scored and one RBI to pace Longwood. Freshman Taylor Hedrick/Fredericksburg added to the offense, hitting .500 for the day with two RBI and two runs, while junior Casey Lifsey/Portsmouth recorded her first home run of the season for three RBI to get things started for the Lancers in game two. Freshman Elizabeth McCarthy/Dunnsville allowed just one earned run with six strikeouts in her extra-innings performance before junior Libby Morris/Dilwyn set a new career high with nine strikeouts in five-innings of work. Longwood (15-5, 4-0) will host league opponent Winthrop in a three-game series this weekend beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 22 at 2 p.m.

"These were two different games today," said head coach Kathy Riley. "We came out a little tentative in the first game, not swinging at pitches we could hit well. We talked about trying to manage the psychology of the game a little during the break, understanding when and how to be selectively aggressive. I thought we did a much better job in the second game. Casey got us off to a good start with the three-run homer and it picked us up. That hit made everybody feel good and start to relax a little more.

"It was nice to see some of the young kids do well today. Not only did Biz pitch well, but Taylor had some really nice at-bats. Justina also had a great slide to end the first game, so to see those kids really have an opportunity to do something positive was good for us." 

In the Lancers' first trip to the plate in game one, sophomore Carly Adams/Colonial Heights (1-5, 2 runs, 1 RBI) drew a one-out walk and junior Megan Baltzell/Stafford (2-6, 1 run) followed with a base hit up the middle. A fielder's choice put runners on the corners before junior Katie Shinrock/Fountain Valley, Calif. (2-7, 1 run, 2 RBI) singled deep to shortstop to give Longwood a 1-0 advantage. McCarthy retired the Flames' side in order in the top of the second, fielding a pair of ground balls for outs before winning a 10-pitch battle to strikeout the final hitter of the inning. In the third, McCarthy made it six-consecutive Liberty batters retired and Longwood loaded the bases, but all three were stranded to keep the one-run difference intact. Neither side was able to plate a run in the fourth nor fifth, although junior Chelsea Sciacca/Whittier, Calif. (1-5, 1 run, 1 RBI) logged an infield single down the third base line in the fifth.

Liberty knotted the score in the top of the sixth, as Katie Zavodny went first to third on an error and scored on a groundout. The Flames threatened to pull ahead in the seventh with back-to-back base hits, but Murphy reigned in a popup in foul territory to end the at-bat. In the bottom of the inning, Murphy led off with a single up the middle and legged out two bases on the sacrifice bunt by Adams. Baltzell and Sciacca were intentionally walked, but Liberty got out of the situation unscathed to force extra frames. The Flames plated the go-ahead run with three-straight singles in the eighth, but Longwood retaliated in the home half of the inning. Hedrick and Augustine put together consecutive hits before Murphy connected for a sacrifice fly to score Hedrick. On the same play, the throw to the plate bounced to the backstop and Augustine, who was running hard all the way, made a brilliant slide to avoid the tag and seal the walk-off, 3-2 victory.

The defense controlled the early part of the second game, as Liberty left two runners stranded through its first two chances at the dish and Murphy was Longwood's lone runner in the first with a leadoff single up the middle. The Lancers broke the game open with a two-out rally in the bottom of the second when Lifsey drove a three-run shot over the fence in left and Adams added a RBI double to give Longwood a 4-0 edge. Liberty chipped away at the home team's lead in the third, as Zavodny reached and advanced to second on a miscue before scoring on a RBI single up the middle. Morris dominated in the circle with two strikeouts in each of the next two innings to set a new career high. In the home half of the fifth, Longwood loaded the bases before Sciacca drew a RBI walk. Two Lancers scored on a Liberty error to make the score 7-1, and Hedrick followed with a two-RBI triple to secure the 9-1 win in five innings.