COLUMBIA, S.C. – Behind a two-hit, three-RBI day from sophomore Krista Kelly and a combined 10 strikeouts from the pitching staff, the Longwood softball team picked up a 7-1 victory over Winthrop Saturday evening at the Carolina Classic at Beckham Field.
 
Batting in the two-hole, Kelly enjoyed the best day of her young career at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a team-high three RBI and a double to go along with a walk. It marked the most RBI the Rockville, Md., in a game in her career.
 
Elizabeth McCarthy was sharp in the circle once again for the Lancers in her third straight start, giving up just one hit while allowing three base runners in three innings of work. The four strikeouts from the Dunnsville, Va., product gives her 15 over the three-game opening weekend.
 
Freshman Sydney Gay (1-0) got her first win of her Longwood career after coming in to replace McCarthy at the start of the fourth inning. Gay was lights out in her two innings, striking out five of the six batters she faced and walking one.
 
Sydney Mundell also made her Longwood debut in the sixth inning, working two innings while giving up a run on a hit and a pair of walks. Mundell, a transfer from UNLV, notched her first strikeout in a Longwood uniform.
 
"Tonight's game was a solid team outing for us," said Longwood head coach Kathy Riley. "Pitching led the way followed by great energy for the team. The offense is slowly waking up and I'm excited to see us put all the phases of the game together."
 
Saturday's win marked the second straight for the Lancers (2-1) after dropping their season-opener Friday against Ohio. It marked the third time Longwood and Winthrop met in a non-conference game in program history going back to 2009, as the schools have played a conference series in each season since Longwood joined the Big South.
 
Glenn Walters enjoyed another solid day from the leadoff spot, going 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of RBI and a run scored. Walters, a 2015 Second-Team All-Big South selection, is 3-for-9 at the plate in the tournament with four RBI.
 
Walters and Kelly combined for four of Longwood's seven hits in the game, with Emily Murphy, Jamie Barbour and Kaylynn Batten also recording a hit.
 
Keleigh Romine (0-1) took the loss for the Eagles (3-5), going 2.1 innings and giving up two runs, one earned, on four hits and a walk. Bradlee Holeman came on in relief and worked 3.2 innings, giving up five runs, all earned, on three hits and eight walks. She also finished with three strikeouts.
 
Longwood took a 2-0 lead in the third inning. Taylor Hedrick walked to lead off the inning, before Walters brought her home with a single to right field and a throwing error. Kelly brought Walters home one batter later with an RBI double to left center field.
 
The Lancers added to their lead one inning later, as Emily Murphy reached on a fielder's choice and plated Haleigh Kilby.
 
The big inning of the night for the Lancers came in the fifth where the blue and white batted around and scored four runs on three hits. Jamie Barbour knocked in her first RBI of the season on a single to score freshman Jordan Clark. Three batters later, Walters ripped an RBI single to score Barbour, before Kelly singled through the right side to plate Kilby and Hedrick.
 
Winthrop's lone run of the game came in the seventh inning, where Haley Zuehlke grounded out to Kelly at second base to score Madison Templeton.
 
Longwood looks to win its third straight game Sunday in the final day of the Carolina Classic. The Lancers take on SEC-foe and host South Carolina at 12:30 p.m., with the game set to be broadcast on SEC Network + on the WatchESPN app.
 
"All of us are looking forward to the match-up with the University of South Carolina tomorrow," Riley said.
 
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