FARMVILLE, Va. – The Longwood University softball team is set to wrap up the regular season with a three-game series against Big South Conference and in-state rival Radford University at Lancer Field in Farmville this weekend. The squads will first play a doubleheader on Saturday, May 3 beginning at 4 p.m. before squaring off in a single game on Sunday, May 4 at 1 p.m. The series, which will decide the No. 2 seed for the conference championship next week, will be streamed live on the Big South Network and an audio broadcast will be available on 92.9 WVHL FM, as well. Live, in-game statistics will also be available at www.longwoodlancers.com.
 
Senior Day
Sunday will be Senior Day at Lancer Field in Farmville, as the squad will honor its lone 2014 graduate Amy Putnam/Poquoson in a special pre-game ceremony.
 
Looking at Longwood
The Lancers currently own a 35-14 overall record with a 14-6 mark in Big South games. In its most recent outings, the squad split a pair of games at South Carolina of the Southeastern Conference on April 25-26, falling 14-0 before bouncing back with a 1-0 win in eight innings. Through 49 games, junior Megan Baltzell/Stafford paces Longwood with a .468 average, 66 hits, 42 RBI, 33 walks, nine home runs, an .816 slugging percentage and a .579 on-base percentage. Juniors Casey Lifsey/Portsmouth (.317) and Katie Shinrock/Fountain Valley, Calif. (.312) add to the offense, while sophomore Emily Murphy/Virginia Beach, who is hitting .304, leads the squad with 22 stolen bases. As a whole, the Lancers are batting .299. In the circle this season, freshman Elizabeth McCarthy/Dunnsville, who is 17-5 so far, leads the team with a 1.66 ERA and 121 strikeouts. Junior Libby Morris/Dillwyn owns a 15-9 record with a pair of saves and three shutouts.
 
Scouting Radford
The Highlanders are 22-25 overall in 2014 with a 14-7 record in Big South play. The team dropped a twin bill with 2-1 and 4-2 setbacks against Virginia Tech on May 1. RU is led by Jessie Hutchens with a .368 average, 49 hits, 48 RBI, 36 runs and 17 home runs. Whitney Davis (.295) and Becky Mantel (.280) have also contributed to the team's offense. In the circle, Rachael Walters owns an 11-12 record with a 2.79 ERA and 117 strikeouts in 130.1 innings pitched.
 
Series History
The Lancers and Highlanders have met 39 times in the sport of softball. Radford leads the all-time series, 23-16, although Longwood swept a three-game, regular-season series between the squads in 2013.
 
Streaks of Note
Megan Baltzell's team-best, 21-game hit streak from March 15 to April 12 ranks fourth all-time at Longwood. She also registered a 32-game stretch of reaching base safely earlier this season. Katie Shinrock put together a nine-game hit streak from March 30 to April 9 for the squad's second longest of the season, while Casey Lifsey had an eight-game hit streak from March 22 to April 2.
 
Big South Stats
As of April 28, Longwood is first in the Big South with a .299 team batting average. The Lancers are second with a .386 on-base percentage, 249 runs, 216 RBI and nine triples. Megan Baltzell paces the Big South individually in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage and doubles. Elizabeth McCarthy is second in the Big South in ERA.
 
NCAA Rankings
Megan Baltzell currently ranks seventh in the nation in career slugging percentage (.820) and eighth in career home runs (48). Through games as of April 27, Longwood is nationally ranked in the top 75 for four statistical categories. The Lancers are 35th in win/loss percentage (.714), 37th stolen bases (1.51), 53rd in earned run average (2.58) and 64th in batting average (.299). Individually, Megan Baltzell is ranked as the 21st toughest batter to strikeout in the nation. She is also fourth in on-base percentage, ninth in batting average and 16th slugging percentage.
 
Record Watch
Megan Baltzell and Chelsea Sciacca are currently ranked in the top five on Longwood's all-time record list with 16 and 15 doubles, respectively, this season. Baltzell needs just three more to take over the No. 1 spot. Elizabeth McCarthy needs just five more strikeouts this year to break into the top five for most single-season strikeouts. In the career rankings, Baltzell moved into first all-time with her 44th double against Hampton on April 10. With 197 career hits, she has taken sole possession of fourth all-time at Longwood. Baltzell is also second on the school's record list for career RBI, runs and home runs.
 
In the Circle
The Lancers' three-person pitching staff has helped the team perform well in 2014. Elizabeth McCarthy, who paces the squad with her 1.66 ERA, 121 strikeouts and four shutouts in 143.2 innings, has a 17-5 record this year. She fanned a personal-best 10 batters in a 6-5 win against Elon on April 16. Veteran Libby Morris has pitched a team-high 145.0 innings with 81 strikeouts and a 3.09 ERA en route to a 15-9 record. She set a new career-high with 10 strikeouts in a 3-0 win against Winthrop on March 22. Freshman Jenna Carnes/Six Mile, S.C. remains an undefeated 3-0 on the year with a 4.69 ERA in 10 appearances. Together the trio has eight shutouts and a 2.58 ERA. The Lancers' pitching staff has held opponents to just a .247 batting average in 2014.
 
Player of the Week Honors
Elizabeth McCarthy has garnered Big South/The Crons Brand Pitcher of the Week honors twice this season, on April 14 and April 28. Megan Baltzell was named the Big South Conference Choice Hotels Player of the Week on March 31. In the previous week, Libby Morris earned her first career Big South/The Crons Brand Pitcher of the Week recognition on March 24. Emily Murphy was also named Player of the Week earlier this season on February 24.
 
Home Sweet Home
Heading into 2014, head coach Kathy Riley pinpointed performing better at home as one of the team's early goals for the season. After finishing just 10-7 in Farmville last year in 2013, the Lancers have already made a strong showing on their home turf this season with an 23-5 mark at Lancer Field so far.