Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

FARMVILLE, Va. – The Longwood University softball team swept a pair of decisions on Sunday, defeating both Delaware State University (7-4) and the University of Delaware (6-10), 8-4, at Lancer Field in Farmville. Junior Casey Lifsey/Portsmouth led the Lancers to their first victory of the day against Delaware State with two hits (.667), one run and one RBI, while sophomore Carly Adams/Colonial Heights paced Longwood in its second win against Delaware with two hits (.500), two runs and two RBI. Junior Megan Baltzell/Stafford turned in a team-high .600 average through the pair of games with three runs and two RBI to add to the offensive effort. Freshman Elizabeth McCarthy/Dunnsville and junior Libby Morris/Dillwyn each went the distance to earn wins in the circle on Sunday. Longwood will return to action on Wednesday, March 12 when the squad hosts in-state opponent George Mason University in a doubleheader beginning at 3:30 p.m.

"It was nice for us to come out today and respond to yesterday's games where we didn't play very well," said head coach Kathy Riley. "Although we didn't play our very best softball, we did several things that we were really happy with, one of which was responding to challenges better today.

"We talked about whether we could have had practice this weekend or games, and it was really important for us to play games because we saw a lot of things we need to improve, and we found out more about ourselves and how we need to interact as a group. I think moving forward, that's going to be really important for us as we look at our goals for the next two or three weeks."

Delaware State quickly went to work in the top of the first, leading off with a single up the middle before a Longwood miscue put runners on second and third. A base hit through the left side by the next batter gave the Hornets an early 1-0 edge, but McCarthy forced a pair of groundouts and a strikeout to get out of the inning. In the Lancers' first trip to the plate, Baltzell drew a two-out walk, but the squad was unable to rally. Delaware State went three-up and three-down in the second, and Longwood left a runner stranded, as freshman Taylor Hedrick/Fredericksburg (3-6, 2 RBI) lined a double to left center with two outs. In the home half of the third, Lifsey laid down a bunt for a base hit and sophomore Emily Murphy/Virginia Beach (2-6, 2 runs) turned on the first pitch she saw for a double to the wall in center. Adams knotted the score at 1-1 with a RBI single up the middle before Baltzell added two more runs with a two-bagger of her own. Lifsey, classmate Katie Shinrock/Fountain Valley, Calif. (1-5, 2 runs), sophomore Jaime Barbour/Amelia (1-6, 1 run, 1 RBI) and freshman Justina Augustine/Warrenton (1-6, 2 RBI) each added a base hit in the inning, as well, to put Longwood ahead, 7-1.

DSU responded in the fourth, loading the bases with a pair of hits and a walk before using a single and an error to plate three runs and cut the difference to just three at 7-4. In the bottom of the inning, Longwood got one back when Adams led off with a solo homer to make the score 8-4 through four complete. Neither side was able to get on the board in the fifth or sixth, and although the Hornets notched a double in the top of seventh, Longwood held on to take the 8-4 victory.

In the final game of the tournament, the Blue Hens went to work in the top of the first, using five-consecutive hits and an error to take an early 3-0 lead. Murphy logged an infield single in the Lancers' first at-bat of the contest and Baltzell followed with a walk, but both runners were left on base. Longwood retired the Delaware side in order in the second before senior Amy Putnam/Poquoson (1-4, 1 RBI) drove in Hedrick, who got aboard with a one-out single, cutting the difference to just two. In their next trip to the dish, the Lancers capitalized once again, as Baltzell, classmate Chelsea Sciacca/Whittier, Calif. (2-6, 3 runs, 2 RBI) and Hedrick all logged doubles to knot the score at 3-3.

The Blue Hens tripled in the top of the fourth to put a runner in scoring position, but Morris forced two groundouts to keep the stalemate intact. Longwood pulled ahead in the home half of the inning, however, as Adams doubled off the wall to score Murphy all the way from first. Adams advanced to third on double by Baltzell before crossing the plate on same play thanks to a UD error. Sciacca followed with a RBI single, and the team added a RBI walk and groundout to take an 8-3 advantage. Delaware got one run back in the sixth, but it was not enough to overcome the margin, as the Lancers sealed the 8-4 win.