STARKVILLE, Miss. – In her first career start in left field, sophomore Krista Kelly made a game-saving catch in the sixth inning before bringing home the game-winning run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth inning in Longwood's 7-6 eight inning win over UT Chattanooga.

The Longwood softball team split its pair of games on day two of the Bulldog Slamboree in Starkville, Miss., as the Lancers followed its dramatic walk-off victory with a 3-1 loss to host Mississippi State, who is receiving top-25 votes in both major polls.

Playing her third different position of the season, Kelly notched a pair of hits, while recording a pair of RBI and scoring a run. After batting .218 in her rookie year, Kelly is off to a solid start this season, as she's hitting .268 on the season while appearing in each game.

"Krista Kelly played very well for us," said head coach Kathy Riley after the Chattanooga game. "She was not only good at the plate, but made a game-saving catch for us in the sixth."

Longwood split a pair of games for the second straight day, as the Lancers are 2-2 to open a nine-game stretch in which it will see six NCAA Tournament teams from a season ago.

Longwood looks to close out the Bulldog Slamboree with an impressive 3-2 record, as the squad faces a rematch with Nortwestern State Sunday, March 6 at 10 a.m.

"I'm encouraged by our preparation in the last three games in being ready tomorrow for a very good Northwestern State team," Riley said.

Longwood 7, UT Chattanooga 6 (8)
After giving up a four-run lead, allowing UT-Chattanooga to score five runs in the fifth, Longwood answered via the home run ball, before Kelly's sacrifice fly to send the Lancers off a 7-6 winner.

"It was a confidence builder to win another close game," Riley said. "We started the game with great focus and ended in the eighth the same way we started."

In the game, Kelly went 1-for-4 at the plate, but recorded a pair of RBI and a run scored.

Elizabeth McCarthy (5-2) got the win to pick up her fourth straight victory. McCarthy went the distance, giving up six runs, five earned, on 10 hits and three walks. She added three strikeouts to her credit.

Jordan Fortel (2-2) took the loss for the Mocs, as she gave up six runs, two earned on six hits and a walk.

Glenn Walters, Carly Adams and Jamie Barbour each recorded a pair of hits in the game to pace the Longwood offense. In addition, Walters belted her third home run of the season, while Justina Augustine hit her first of the year.

Kelly made things happen at the start, as the Lancers took a 2-0 lead in the opening inning. Walters reached on a fielding error to start the inning, before stealing second. Kelly followed by hitting a 3-2 pitch to left center to drive in Walters, before she was driven home by Adams three batters later.

Longwood doubled its lead in the fourth inning after Walters turned on a 1-1 offering and blasted her third homer of the season.
After the Mocs responded with five runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 5-4 advantage, Augustine tied the game in the bottom of the frame with her first blast.

The game went to extra innings where Longwood didn't win a regular season game a season ago. Using the international tiebreaker, Amanda Ross singled to right center to bring home Alyssa Coppinger – who started the inning on second base.

However, the Lancers once again responded with a pair of runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. After Barbour reached on a fielder's choice on a play where Jordan Clark scored, Kelly stepped in with runners on the corners and one out. She came through in a big spot, as she flied out to center field, as Barbour was able to tag from third and score on the play.

Mississippi State 3, Longwood 1
Mississippi State rallied from a one-run deficit to go ahead in the sixth on its way to a 3-1 victory over Longwood, in the second game of the day for the Lancers.

Karleigh Donovan led the Lancers at the plate, going 2-for-3 at the dish with her first collegiate home run.

"We played a solid game of softball against Mississippi State," Riley said. "It came down to Mississippi State executing the short game well late in the game."

Sydney Gay (3-2) was handed the loss in a matchup of top freshman pitchers. Both Gay and her counterpart, Mississippi State's Cori Cooper entered the weekend among the top-12 in the nation in ERA.

Gay went five innings and gave up three runs on five hits and a pair of walks.

"Sydney pitched well and we had better at bats today than yesterday," Riley said.

Meanwhile, Cooper responded with a four inning outing, as she allowed one run on two hits and a walk.

Donovan put the Lancers on the board in the top of the second inning, as she hit her first career home run.

That lead stood until the fourth inning where the Bulldogs answered via the home run ball. Mackenzie Toler provided the long ball off a 1-2 count that saw her foul off a pair of pitches.

Longwood had an opportunity to regain the lead the next inning, but stranded a pair of runners in scoring position – two of three runners left on base throughout the game.

The Bulldogs loaded the bases in the sixth inning to start the frame. That's when Toler notched her second RBI of the day to give Mississippi State its first lead of the game on a sacrifice fly to center field to score Emily Heimberger. Sarai Niu followed with a double down the right field line to plate Kayla Winkfield and give the Bulldogs an insurance run.