Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Longwood University softball team swept a twin bill at Big South Conference opponent Gardner-Webb University (11-27, 1-9) on Saturday afternoon at Varsity Field in Boiling Springs, N.C. The Lancers rallied in the fourth inning of game one to earn an 8-0, mercy-rule decision before taking a 5-1 win in game two. Juniors Katie Shinrock/Fountain Valley, Cailf. and Casey Lifsey/Portsmouth, and sophomore Carly Adams/Colonial Heights all hit .600 (3-5) on the day to pace the Lancers' offensive effort. Lifsey notched a team-high three RBI, while Shinrock and Adams added two and one RBI, respectively. Junior Libby Morris/Dillwyn and freshman Elizabeth McCarthy/Dunnsville each went the distance in their respective performances to earn the victories in the circle. Morris struck out six and gave up just one hit in game one for her third shutout of the year, while McCarthy totaled two strikeouts, three hits and one earned run in game two. Longwood (24-7, 11-2) and Gardner-Webb will complete the series with a single game tomorrow, Sunday, April 6, beginning at 2 p.m.
 
"I was very happy with the girls today," said head coach Kathy Riley. "From an overall standpoint of what we wanted to work on and get better at, we did well today. We talked about playing solid defense and when you only give up one run in two games and just four hits all day, you have to consider that a good defensive effort. One of the other things we wanted to do was be a little more aggressive earlier in the count, and although we didn't hit at the highest level we can hit at, I felt like we made improvements today, swinging at the pitches we actually should swing at. We are on our way to getting to where we want to be by May. We're thinking about the conference tournament and it's really important that we start playing our best softball in the next few weeks."
 
Both sides were quickly retired in the first inning in game one, although Shinrock slapped a single up the middle to get the Lancers' first hit of the day. Longwood threatened in its next trip to the dish with runners on second and third, but junior Chelsea Sciacca/Whittier, Calif. (3-6, 2 runs, 1 RBI) was cut down at home on a strong throw from the GWU center fielder. The Runnin' Bulldogs went three-up and three-down in both the second and third innings, as Morris forced three groundouts in the second before fanning the side in the third. In the top of the fourth, the Lancers put together an eight-run rally to break the game open. Junior Megan Baltzell/Stafford (2-6, 2 runs, 1 RBI) was hit by a pitch to start things off before Sciacca knocked her in on a RBI double to make the score 1-0. Adams followed with a base hit down the right field line and drew the throw to second, allowing Sciacca to score. Sophomore Jamie Barbour/Amelia (1-6, 1 run, 1 RBI), classmate Emily Murphy/Virginia Beach (3-6, 1 run, 2 RBI) and Lifsey also added RBI singles in the inning to give Longwood a 5-0 advantage. Shinrock then sent another base hit back up the middle to plate a pair of runners and bring up Baltzell, who sent a high fly off the wall in right to extend the visitor's lead to 8-0.
 
Gardner-Webb had its first base runners of the game in the bottom of the fourth, but the team was unable to capitalize, as freshman Taylor Hedrick/Fredericksburg (1-3, 1 run) snagged a fly ball in right before throwing to Adams at third to turn the double play. Longwood left one stranded in the fifth, but sat down the Runnin' Bulldogs in their next at-bat to secure the 8-0 decision.
 
Game two started in much the same fashion as game one, as Shinrock was the lone base runner for either side in the first inning. Adams led off for the Lancers in the second, bunting for a base hit, but she was unable to advance, keeping the scoreless stalemate intact. The Lancers pulled ahead, 1-0, in the third, though, when freshman Justina Augustine/Warrenton (1-5, 2 runs) and Lifsey logged back-to-back singles up the middle before Murphy knocked in Augustine with a base hit to right center.
 
After allowing just one GWU hit in the home half of the third, Longwood extended its margin by two in the next inning. Senior Amy Putnam/Poquoson (2-3, 1 run, 1 RBI) started the momentum with a two-out infield single and Augustine walked before both moved up with stolen bases and scored on a two-RBI single through the right side by Lifsey, giving the visitors a 3-0 edge. The Runnin' Bulldogs went three-up and three-down in their next at-bat thanks to a pair of foul popups caught by Baltzell, including a diving catch up the first base line. In the top of the fifth, Sciacca and Adams put themselves in scoring position with base hits, and Putnam followed with a single to the grass to plate one run, making the score 4-0. Gardner-Webb cut into the difference with one run on two hits in the bottom of the sixth, but McCarthy struck out the final batter of the inning to leave runners on the corners. Longwood added one in the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly to deep center by Adams to seal the 5-1 margin of victory.