FARMVILLE, Va. – Led by a combined 8-for-10 performance with eight RBI and six runs scored from seniors Carly Adams, Jamie Barbour and Emily Murphy, the Longwood softball team matched its season-high with 15 hits en route to a 10-2 run-rule victory over Radford Friday night at Lancer Field.

The win for the Lancers (30-15, 16-3 Big South) is their ninth straight, with its last loss coming in the series at No. 2 Auburn, and clinches the program's fourth straight 30-win season. It marks the second four-year stretch in program history in which the Lancers have captured 30-plus wins and is the 12th such season in the 19-year tenure of head coach Kathy Riley.

"That's really cool," Adams said. "Honestly, I'm really thrilled that I get to be part of that four-year stretch."

Kicking off their senior weekend celebration and the final home series of their careers, Adams, Barbour and Murphy combined for four extra base hits, as Barbour led the way with a pair of doubles while Adams recorded a double of her own and Murphy hit a three-run blast to straight away center field.

"Our seniors did a great job of really stepping up tonight at the plate," said head coach Kathy Riley. "Our team really leans on all three of them for their leadership abilities and I have a lot of confidence in each one of them."

With her three-run home run, Murphy has had four home runs in her past seven games and moves to within five bombs to becoming the third player in program history with 50 career blasts.

In addition, the three Longwood seniors – who all rank among the top-eight in the league in batting average this season following Friday's game – are two wins shy of matching Amy Putnam of the class of 2014 for the most wins by a single class in program history with 147 career victories.

The seniors spearheaded an effort that saw the Lancers match its season-high of 15 hits and was the fourth game in the squad's last five with at least 10 hits. Longwood improves to 13-0 on the season when accomplishing such a feat. Eight of the nine starters recorded at least one hit and nine of the 11 players who had a plate appearance recorded a hit.

"I'm really proud of our senior class," Murphy said. "Jamie [Barbour] started things off for us with that first double and then Carly followed to bring her home with a hit. They were both really good today, so it's certainly exciting to be part of this senior class."

Adams led the squad with a 4-for-4 performance with a career-high four RBI and two runs scored. Barbour went 3-for-4 at the plate with the go-ahead RBI in the fourth inning and three runs scored. In addition, Karleigh Donovan recorded her sixth two-hit game of the season.

"I'm always excited when I do something good for my team, so it was really important for me, Jamie and the top of the lineup to come through the way we did today," Adams said.

Sydney Gay (13-5) came on in relief of Elizabeth McCarthy to pick up the win, tossing 3.2 innings of no-hit ball. The freshman recorded six strikeouts after coming on with one out in the fourth inning and the bases loaded to strikeout the two batters she saw in that frame.

"She looked great tonight from the moment she came in," Riley said. "That was a tough spot for her to come in with the bases loaded, one out and a 2-0 count. She handled that really well and that set the tone for her the rest of the way."

The win for Gay marks her fourth straight, as the rookie came into the weekend seventh among freshman in the NCAA with a 1.68 ERA. She didn't give up a hit after coming in and has given up just two earned runs in her last 23.2 innings of work.

McCarthy got the start for the Lancers, working 2.1 innings and giving up two runs, one earned on three hits and a walk while fanning three batters.

Over the squad's nine game win streak, the Longwood pitching staff has continued to be superb. Together, the group has yielded more than one run just one earned run just one time in that stretch with that coming in a win against ACC-foe Virginia Tech. In addition, the Lancers better their staff ERA to 2.07, which is on pace to set a program record in the Division I era.

With their offensive onslaught, the Lancers knocked around a Radford (31-20, 12-7 Big South) pitching staff that came into the weekend second in team-ERA with a mark of 2.53. Highlander ace Abby Morrow got the start, tossing 2.0-plus innings and giving up two runs, one earned on six hits. Kayla Huffman (6-3) suffered the loss, pitching 3.0 innings of relief and yielding seven runs, six earned on seven hits.

Radford took a 2-0 lead just three batters into the game, as Becky Mantel hit a two-run home run in what was a team-leading 2-for-3 day for her with a pair of RBI.
The Lancers answered with a run in the bottom of the frame after a leadoff double from Barbour, before Adams brought her home with an RBI single through the left side.

Radford loaded the bases in the top of the third inning, before Gay came on in relief of McCarthy with one out and a 2-0 count on Marissa Yow. The freshman stepped up to comeback in the count and get the strikeout, before fanning Summer Robinson to end the inning as well.

"That really gave us a lot of confidence," Adams said. "She came in right away with no nerves and shut the whole threat down. That really helped us a lot and it was fun seeing her throw like that in a big situation."

After Gay helped the Lancers escape the bases loaded jam, Longwood scored one run to tie the game in the bottom of the inning on a hit-by-pitch from Glenn Walters with the bases loaded to bring home Adams.

Barbour gave the Lancers their first lead of the night with her second double of the game in the fourth inning. That brought home Justina Augustine from second base after Augustine reached on a fielding error. Immediately following Barbour's double, Adams brought her home with an RBI single to left field.

"In my mind, I really just wanted to attack the ball," Barbour said. "Justina was on second and I really wanted to get her in, so I went up there and wanted to be aggressive. I was really seeing the ball good all game today."

The Lancers sent eight batters to the plate and scored five runs an inning later, capped by Murphy's 45th career home run to straight away center field on a 1-2 offering from Huffman.

Longwood prepares to honor its senior class of Adams, Barbour and Murphy prior to Saturday's doubleheader, which will mark the conclusion of the home portion of the schedule. The three seniors will be honored beginning at 12:45 p.m., with first pitch of the doubleheader slated for 1 p.m.

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