GREENSBORO, N.C. – Longwood pitching allowed two earned runs on the day and the Lancer bats awoke for 16 combined runs throughout the day, as Longwood softball extended its winning streak to six straight Sunday afternoon at UNCG Softball Stadium.

Longwood scored four runs in the fifth inning capped by a three-run blast from Chelsea Whitcomb to back Sydney Backstrom's three-hitter in a 6-1 win over Northern Kentucky, before scoring 10 runs on 10 hits to support five strong innings from Sydney Gay in a 10-1 run-rule victory over Iona.

With the pair of wins, Longwood (7-2) extends its win streak to six straight games – two wins shy of matching its top win streak a season ago.

Five different Lancers finished the day with multiple hits, led by Whitcomb and Karleigh Donovan with three each. Whitcomb clubbed her first home run in a Longwood uniform against Northern Kentucky and added an RBI single in game two of the day against Iona. Donovan also finished the day with three hits, adding a pair of runs and a RBI, while Jenna Dunn, Jessica Smith and Kaylynn 'Bug' Batten each had two hits throughout the two games.

Longwood's bats backed dominant performances from Sydney Backstrom and Sydney Gay in the circle, as Lancer pitching allowed seven hits and two runs in 13 innings. Opponents hit .140 off Longwood's pitchers, as Backstrom and Gay added seven strikeouts.

In the last six games, Longwood pitching has allowed five runs on 23 total hits, sporting a 0.85 ERA in that span to lower its team ERA to 1.54 on the season.

Longwood returns for the final day of the UNCG Invitational Monday, Feb. 25, as the Lancers are set to square off against reigning Southern Conference champion and tournament host UNCG in a doubleheader set for a 2:30 p.m. opening pitch.

Game 1: Four-Run Fourth Backs Backstrom's Three-Hitter in 6-1 Win

A three-run home run off the bat of Chelsea Whitcomb capped a four-run fourth inning to back Sydney Backstrom's complete-game, three-hit effort in a 6-1 Longwood win in the first game of the day over Northern Kentucky.

A complete-game effort from Backstrom (4-1) gave the sophomore righty her fourth win in her last four appearances, as her latest effort saw the Huntersville, N.C. product  allow just three hits while not allowing more than one Norse (1-4) baserunner in any inning and working three perfect innings.

Backstrom's performance lifts Longwood to its fifth straight win, as the Lancer pitching staff has given up one earned run or less in each of those games.  

In her last four starts, Backstrom has given up just three earned runs in her last 19.1 innings to lower her season earned run average to 1.43. Her latest display saw her face four batters over the minimum, as Northern Kentucky scattered three hits and a walk. Backstrom added five strikeouts to her total, as she threw 100 pitches, 64 for strikes.

"We started off a little slow on offense and were able to find our rhythm as the game went on," said Longwood head coach Kathy Riley. "It was definitely a team effort led by a strong performance from Slim [Sydney Backstrom] on the mound and very good defense."

Whitcomb's three-run blast in the fourth inning culminated a four-run fourth inning in which Longwood took advantage of two Northern Kentucky errors before Karleigh Donovan gave the Lancers a 1-0 lead on an RBI single to bring home Jordan Clark.

A graduate transfer from Virginia Tech, Whitcomb paced the Lancers at the dish with her 2-of-2 performance while Donovan went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Kaylynn 'Bug' Batten also went deep in the fifth inning with a two-run blast, as five different Lancers combined for seven hits.

Toree Stalter hit her first home run of the season in the sixth to break the shutout, as she was one of three Norse to record a hit in the game.

Taylor Ginther (1-2) took the loss, allowing six runs, two earned, on six hits and two walks in 4.1 innings while striking out just one Lancer. Hailey Whitmer came on in relief for Ginther and tossed a scoreless 1.2 innings, allowing one hit while striking out one batter.

Game 2: Big Innings Support Gay's Five Strong Innings in 10-1 Run-Rule Win

Longwood's bats awoke early with a five-run first inning in support of five strong innings from Big South Preseason Pitcher of the Year Sydney Gay, as the Lancers earned a 10-1 run-rule victory over Iona.

The Lancers batted around in a first inning that saw Longwood cleanup hitter Jenna Dunn come through with a three-run double down the left field line. Chelsea Whitcomb followed two batters later with an RBI single to score Dunn from second before Leah Powell brought her home with a double, as Longwood scored five runs on four hits in the inning.

That was all of the run support Gay (3-1) needed, as she won for the third time on the season while giving up one run on three hits and one walk. She added two strikeouts, throwing 84 pitches, 52 for strikes to lift Longwood to its sixth straight victory. After allowing a home run on her third pitch of the day to Iona's Natalia Meray, Gay settled down nicely in allowing two more hits in the game while getting Iona to flyout 11 times compared to two groundouts.

"It was great to see us come out aggressively and take the game right to Iona," said Longwood head coach Kathy Riley. "That's the way I love to see us play. We also finished the game off well at the plate and on the mound. We're happy to be playing again and having fun competing."

The win moves Gay to within one victory of matching Jennifer Potts for fourth-place all-time on Longwood's all-time career wins list, as the Carrollton, Va., product has 64 victories in her Lancer career.

Mason Basdikis came on to pitch a scoreless sixth inning, giving up one hit.

Dunn led the way for the Lancers at the plate with her third multi-hit game of the season, as she went 2-for-3 with her three RBI and a run scored to raise her batting average to a team-best .423. The sophomore outfielder has hits in six of nine games on the season.

Longwood added five runs in the sixth inning, as the Lancers sent eight batters to the plate and had five hits highlighted by a pair of two-run hits from Kaylynn 'Bug' Batten and Jessica Smith, along with an RBI single from Kasey Carr.

The Purcellville, Va., product was one of eight different Lancers to record a hit in the game, as every Lancer starter scored a run and Whitcomb, Powell, Carr, Smith and Batten
all added RBI's.

Marnie Skinner (0-1) took the loss for the Gaels (0-1), going 5.1 innings and giving up 10 runs, all earned, on nine hits and a walk. She added two strikeouts before Samantha Bender pitched the final 0.2 innings, giving up a hit.

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