COLUMBIA, S.C. – Making its 2016 debut, the Longwood softball team split a pair of decisions against Ohio and UNCG Friday afternoon at the Carolina Classic hosted by South Carolina at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
 
Ohio captured the first game of the day, 2-0, in a pitcher's dual between Longwood's Elizabeth McCarthy and Ohio's Savannah Jo Dorsey, before the Lancers put up 10 hits and earned a 9-1 victory over UNCG in the afternoon match-up.
 
A product of Dunnsville, Va., McCarthy (1-1) allowed three runs, two earned, on eight hits and a pair of walks while striking out 11 batters combined in the two games. McCarthy is now sixth all-time on Longwood's career wins list after picking up her 43rd career victory.
 
Meanwhile, eight of nine Longwood starters notched at least one hit in the game against UNCG with all nine starters reaching base safely. The Lancers had a multi-hit game from senior Emily Murphy, who went 2-for-4 with a triple, home run and two runs scored, brining her within one run of tying Ryan Washington for third on Longwood's all-time career runs scored list.
 
"We're happy to get a win, but realize we must improve everyday to become the team we envision ourselves to be," said Longwood head coach Kathy Riley.
 
Up next, Longwood (1-1) squares off against Big South foe Winthrop Saturday, Feb. 20 at 5:30 p.m.
 
Ohio 2, Longwood 1
Behind 13 strikeouts from Ohio pitcher Dorsey, the Bobcats took a 2-1 decision in a pitcher's dual in the season-opener for both teams.
 
"The first game was a typical opening day in that we just made too many mistakes to come out on top," Riley said.
 
Dorsey (1-0), who struck out 298 batters in 268.1 innings two seasons ago in the 2014 campaign before missing the majority of last season, allowed just one run on three hits and three walks. The right-hander allowed just six base runners to pick up her first win of the season.
 
McCarthy (0-1) took the loss despite a solid 2016 debut. The junior southpaw and Big South Preseason Pitcher of the Year allowed just two runs, one earned, on six hits and a walk. She posted seven strikeouts in the contest.
 
"Biz McCarthy gave us a super pitching performance, but we just need to have better plate appearances and develop a chip on our shoulders when it comes to winning," Riley said.
 
After a three-up, three-down inning from McCarthy to open the game, Longwood took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the opening inning after Glenn Walters was hit by a pitch and Justina Augustine delivered a two-out single back up the middle.
 
That would be all of the scoring until the fifth inning, as the Lancers worked around a pair leadoff singles in the third and fourth innings. The Bobcats (1-0) broke through in the fifth working the bases loaded following a pair of Longwood errors to open the frame and a walk from McCarthy to Samantha Bowlsbey. Longwood was able to nearly escape the jam getting the next two batters out, before Taylor Saxton delivered a two-out single back up the middle.
 
The Bobcats struck once more in the sixth inning after a pair of two-out singles where Mikayla Cooper singled to bring home Sloan Walker for the go-ahead run, who scored on a throwing error charged to Walters. 
 
Longwood's best chance to tie the game came in the bottom of the sixth inning where it stranded the bases loaded. Freshman Jordan Clark worked a leadoff walk before Kaylynn Batten delivered a one-out single for her first collegiate hit and Emily Murphy walked. Augustine hit a ball to left field with one out, but was unable to bring Clark home on the sacrifice fly before Sweeney struck out looking to end the inning.
 
After a one-two-three top of the seventh, Longwood was unable to get the tying run aboard in the bottom of the inning as Dorsey forced two ground balls and struck out Haleigh Kilby to end the game.
 
Longwood 9, UNCG 1
Eight of nine starters in the Longwood lineup recorded hits, as Longwood used a five-run second and a three-run sixth inning en route to a 9-1 victory over UNCG (4-2) in the second game of the day.    
 
Karleigh Donovan – playing her first game at Longwood – notched a pair of hits and scored a run, while Emily Murphy went 2-for-4 at the plate with a triple and a home run as she finished with an RBI and two runs scored.
 
McCarthy (1-1) posted her first victory of the season, as she went 4.0 innings while allowing one run on two hits and a walk. She added four strikeouts to her credit. Jenna Carnes made her first appearance of the season, allowing one base runner in three innings of work.
 
"We got another very good pitching performance by Biz [McCarthy] and Jenna [Carnes], along with solid defense and offense," Riley said.
 
Alicia Bazonski (1-1) took the loss for the Spartans, giving up seven runs on six hits and a walk in five innings of work. Bazonski added three strikeouts, before giving way to Leary.
 
Longwood opened the scoring courtesy of a five-run second inning. Donovan got things going with a single back to the pitcher, before coming around to score two batters later on a single from Batten. She would come around to score on a two-RBI double from Walters, before Krista Kelly followed with a two-RBI single down the left field line.
 
The Spartans (4-2) got a run back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single from Kendall McKinney to score Allison Geiner.
 
The Lancers tacked on three more runs in the sixth inning, where Murphy led off the inning with a triple before scoring on a fielders choice off the bat of Augustine one batter later. After stealing second and taking third on a single from Donovan, Augustine came home to score on a wild pitch.
 
The Lancers hit their first home run of the season in the seventh inning, as Murphy went deep for the 39th time in her Longwood career.
 
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