MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – Big innings highlighted opening day for the Longwood softball team Friday at the Cougar Classic hosted by Charleston Southern, as the Lancers got off to a 2-0 start.
 
Longwood utilized a six-run second inning to earn a convincing 8-3 win over DePaul in the opening game of the day. The Lancers followed that performance with 11 hits to back the 6.2 shutout inning display from Sydney Backstrom in a 7-2 win over Northern Illinois in the afternoon contest.
 
The 2-0 start for Longwood is its first since the 2014 squad won its first two games of the season and the first time that the Lancers started 2-0 on the road since the 2013 season.
 
"It was a great feeling to start off the 2018 season on a positive note," said Longwood head coach Kathy Riley. "We played very solid softball in all phases of the game."
 
Longwood (2-0) combined for 21 hits on the day with seven of 11 players with multiple at-bats on the day recording multiple hits. Krista Kelly finished 5-of-7 for the day, recording three runs and an RBI. Kaylynn Batten, Jessica Smith and Jordan Clark each had three hits apiece while Batten and Smith each recorded three RBI.
 
The Lancers pitching staff was equally as effective, as Sydney Gay (1-0) and Backstrom (1-0) each recorded a win. The pair combined to allow just three runs, two earned, on 12 hits in 13.2 innings while striking out 13 batters. Of the 12 hits given up by Friday's starters, only three went for extra bases.
 
"Our coaching staff was most proud of how many players contributed today," Riley said. "It was an unselfish effort."
 
Three newcomers saw their first taste of game action with Backstrom, Leah Powell and Jenna Dunn all seeing significant playing time. Dunn and Powell each notched their first two hits of their Longwood careers while scoring a run.
 
Longwood looks to improve to 3-0 Saturday, as the Lancers play tournament host College of Charleston. First pitch is set for 4:15 p.m.
 
Longwood 8, DePaul 3
 
A six-run second inning, highlighted by Kaylynn Batten's three-run home run, led the Longwood softball team to a season-opening 8-3 win over DePaul in Friday's first game of the day.
 
Sydney Gay (1-0) drew the opening-day start in the circle, allowing three runs, two earned, on eight hits and a walk while throwing 101 pitches, 62 for strikes in 5.0 innings to pick up the win. The Carrollton, Va. native added six strikeouts to move to fourth-place all-time on Longwood's all-time strikeout list with 329 in her career, moving past Emily Welpott and Libby Morris.
 
Gay was relieved by Sydney Backstrom – who made her collegiate debut – in the sixth inning, who twirled two shutout innings with three strikeouts.
 
After DePaul (5-2) scored the first two runs in the game in the opening inning, the Lancer bats came alive in the second, to answer by scoring six runs on five hits. That offensive outburst was highlighted by a three-run home run from Batten, Longwood's only home run of the day.
 
Batten was one of six Lancers to pick up a hit in the game, as she was one of three – along with Krista Kelly and Jessica Smith – with multiple hits.
 
Kelly led the team with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate with two runs scored while Smith was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.
 
Coming off a no-hitter in her last outing against Northern Colorado, Missy Zooh took the loss for the Blue Demons after giving up six runs on six hits and a pair of walks in two innings.
 
DePaul was led at the plate by Morgan Greenwood, who was 2-for-3 on the day.
 
Longwood 7, Northern Illinois 2
 
Backed by 6.2 shutout innings of four-hit ball from freshman Sydney Backstrom in her first career start and a four-run first inning, Longwood earned a 7-2 win over Northern Illinois in Friday's second game of the day.
 
Backstrom allowed just six baserunners in her 6.2 innings of work to pick up the first win of her career. The Huntersville, N.C. product allowed four hits and two walks while striking out four on 102 pitches, 61 for strikes.
 
The freshman sensation worked a pair of one-two-three innings, while allowing just one baserunner in two other frames.
 
Karleigh Donovan broke the game open with a two-run double in the first inning that brought home Leah Powell and Jordan Clark. That hit was part of a first inning in which Longwood sent 10 batters to the plate with four different Lancers collecting hits.
 
Longwood added three runs in the fifth inning, aided by a two-run double from Glenn Walters and an RBI single from Jessica Smith. All three of those players finished with a pair of RBI.
 
The Lancers strung together 11 hits in the game, as eight different Lancers recorded hits. Leah Powell, Jordan Clark and Krista Kelly each finished with multi-hit games, recording two hits apiece.
 
Keegan Hays (0-1) took the loss for the Huskies (0-6) after giving up four runs, all earned, on four hits and a walk in 0.1 innings of work. Alex Frenz and MacKenzie Bryan tossed the remaining 5.2 innings, giving up a combined three runs on seven hits and a walk.
 
At the plate, three different Huskies had multi-hit games, as Anne Allen and Jenny Van Geertry each finished with a pair of hits.
 
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