ELON, N.C. — New season, new players, same old Longwood.

The reigning Big South champion Longwood softball embarked on its 23rd season under Kathy Riley with an opening-day sweep at the Elon Softball Classic, gutting out a pair of late-inning wins over Rhode Island (0-1) and Seton Hall (0-1) Saturday morning at Hunt Softball Park. 

The Lancers used late heroics in both contests to open the season with a perfect 2-0 record, grinding out an extra-inning 5-2 victory over Rhode Island in Saturday's opener and a late-inning 7-5 thriller against Seton Hall later in the day. 

Returners and newcomers all contributed, with sophomores Sydney Jacobsen and Madison Blair, and freshman Nia Green combining for eight of the Lancers' 17 hits on the day. Big South Preseason Pitcher of the Year Sydney Backstrom was dominant in both games, tossing an eight-inning complete game in the opener against Rhode Island before returning to the mound against Seton Hall to record the final two outs and a save. Those final two outs came by strikeout, giving the junior right-hander a total of 13 punchouts and just four walks over her 8.2 innings of work.

Meanwhile Green made herself known to the Lancer faithful with two hits, two RBI, one run and a stolen base in her first start for Longwood against Seton Hall in the 7-5 victory. Sophomore Mason Basdikis also showcased her versatility against Seton Hall with a single, a walk, two runs and three stolen bases from the five-spot. 

Game One: Backstrom Shines in 5-2 Win Over Rhode Island

Backed by nine hits and a 13-strikeout performance by Sydney Backstrom, Longwood opened the 2020 campaign with a 5-2 victory over the Rams of Rhode Island on the first day of the Elon Softball Classic. 

Backstorm was dominant from start to finish, striking out the first six batters of the game and capping her 8.0-inning gem by retiring the final eight she faced. She allowed just three hits and bounced back from a two-run homer by Ari Castillo to shut down the Rams over the final two frames. 

The Lancers sent the game into extra innings with a seventh-inning rally that began with a leadoff single by Leah Powell and culminated when freshman Kelly Park beat out a two-out infield single that sent Powell across the plate as the tying run.

From there, Backstrom went to work on the mound and set the stage for Longwood's lineup to engineer some small-ball heroics in the top of the eighth. Longwood plated three runs in the top of that inning, first by Green who stole third and scored on an ensuing throwing error. Kasey Carr then walked and came around later on a wild pitch before Powell worked her way into her second rally of the game by laying down a sacrifice bunt that pushed across freshman Lauren Taylor, who reached on a double. 

Game Two: Nia Green Knocks In Two RBIs in First Career Start

Led by the heart of the order in the form of the 3-4-5 trio of Sydney Jacobsen, Mason Basdikis, and Madison Blair, Longwood used back-to-back big innings in the fourth and fifth to pull away from Seton Hall 7-5. Freshman Nia Green matched Jacobsen and Blair with two hits and recorded a team-best two RBIs in the win. 

Those three combined for five of Longwood's eight hits and three runs to jumpstart a fleet-footed Lancer offense that swiped eight bases in nine attempts. Longwood swiped three of those during a four-run fourth inning that erased Seton Hall's early 3-0 lead and kept running wild in their next turn at the plate, highlighted by Basdikis' steal of home as part of a three-run fifth. 

Arleigh Wood got the start and benefited from Longwood's offensive burst in the middle innings, scattering four runs (two earned) over her 6.0 innings of work. Angelina Sherba and Sydney Backstrom made brief appearances in relief with Backstrom striking out two batters and recording the first save of the 2020 campaign for the Lancers. 

The Pirates rallied late scoring two runs across the final two innings but play, but with the damage already done, Longwood finished the first day of the Elon Softball Classic picking up its second win in as many games, sweeping the first day of competition. 

#GoWood