ORLANDO, Fla. — Longwood rebounded on day one of the UCF Invitational after the Lancers fell 12-3 to the Cardinals of Ball State. The Lancers ended a five-game skid and held the Lions of Columbia scoreless in a 2-0 victory to split the first day of the UCF Invitational. 


Longwood ended the first day of action with 10 hits as Alexis Wayland, Sydney Jacobsen, Nia Green, and Leah Powell finished with two hits apiece combining for eight of the Lancers 10 hits. 

In the circle Big South Preseason Pitcher of the Year, Sydney Backstrom held Columbia scoreless and picked up her third victory of the season for the Lancers, striking out seven Lions on the way to her fourth complete-game of the season. 

The split on day one of the Invitational improved the Lancers to 4-7 on the year with three games remaining in the UCF Invitational. 

Longwood will now shift their attention to day two of the UCF Invitational as the Lancers will face off against Long Island University to begin day two. The first pitch against the Sharks is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. The Lancers will then conclude the second day of competition against the host institution, the University of Central Florida, at 6:00 p.m. 


Game 1: Early Offense Leads Ball State Past Longwood 

The Cardinals jumped out to an early lead against the Lancers scoring ten runs through the first four innings of play to go on to defeat Longwood, 12-2. 

Ball State (12-5) recorded nine hits against the Lancers with Stacy Payton doing the most damage for the Cardinals as Payton went 3-for-3 from the plate with three RBIs and three runs scored. The Cardinals offense was backed by pitching performance that held the Lancer offense to four hits and three runs as Alyssa Rothwell recorded her fifth victory for Ball State in the circle. Rothwell went 5.0 innings, allowing four hits, three runs (two earned), and striking out nine Lancers in the process. 

Longwood's (4-7) offense was able to rattle Rothwell in the third as Longwood's first two batters of the inning, Kasey Carr and Nia Green, reached base. Alexis Wayland singled through the left side of the infield later in the inning, allowing Carr to score the first run for Longwood and cut the lead to 7-1. 

The Cardinals responded with three runs of their own to extend their lead to 10-1 over Longwood. The Lancers once again found success early in the inning as Nia Green and Kelly Park reached base to open the bottom of the fifth inning. Sydney Jacobsen, with two outs, found space in right-center for her second triple of the season, clearing the bases in the process, resulting in two RBIs, cutting Ball State's lead to 10-3. 

In their last trip to the plate, the Cardinals added two runs and went on to defeat Longwood 12-3, as the Lancers dropped their first game of the UCF Invitational. 

In the circle for her fifth start of the season for Longwood was junior Arleigh Wood. Wood completed 5.0 innings of work for the Lancers, allowing 10 runs on eight hits, with one strikeout. Fellow junior Sydney Backstrom finished the final 2.0 innings of work for Longwood as the Cardinals were held to one hit and two unearned runs against Backstrom. Wood received the loss and is now 1-4 on the season for the Lancers. 

Game Two: Backstrom and Late-Inning Offense Tops Columbia 

A pitching battle between the Big South Preseason Pitcher of the Year, Sydney Backstrom, and Columbia's Madison Canby resulted in only 10 hits and two runs combined between the Lancers and the Lions. Longwood fueled by late-inning offense topped the Lions 2-0 and ended a five-game skid for the Lancers. 

Longwood and Columbia (3-3) scattered a total of six hits in the first four innings of play as both starting pitchers were finding success early. Backstrom stuck out five of the first six batters she faced, as Canby only allowed three hits for the Lancers until Longwood found success offensively in the late innings. 

Longwood scored the first run of the game in the fifth inning when junior Leah Powell singled to left center allowing Nia Green to cross the plate for the games opening run. The Lancer offense repeated their performance in the sixth inning, extending their advantage over Columbia to two runs when Madison Blair doubled down the left-field line scoring Destiny Martinez. 

Sydney Backstrom got her sixth start for the Lancers against the Lions as she held Columbia scoreless and picked up her third victory of the season for the Lancers. In the process, Columbia scattered four hits against Backstrom but was unable to cross the plate, as the junior fanned seven Lions in the victory, on her way to her fourth complete game of the season. 


#GoWood