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Leading Off
•   After opening the 2020 season with 19 straight away games and a stretch of 15 consecutive games in the Sunshine State, Longwood finally opens the 2020 season at home against the Rams of Rhode Island. Â
•   During Longwood's stretch of 19 straight road games, the Lancers finished with a record of 8-11, competing against No. 8 Florida, No. 11 Florida State, and now ranked No. 22 The University of Central Florida.Â
•    Longwood is 11-5 in home openers at Lancer field dating back to the 2004 season. In the Lancers last nine home openers, Longwood is 7-2, including a stretch of two straight home opener wins.   Â
•   The Lancers and Rams kicked off the 2020 season on Feb. 8 at the Elon Classic with the Lancers defeating the Rams, 5-2.Â
•   The Lancers matchup with the Rams for the third time in program history today with Longwood, the winners of the previous two meetings
By The Numbers
•   Longwood looks to get back to the NCAA Regionals in 2020, as the Lancers look to win their sixth Big South Championship in eight seasons.
•   Longwood's 2020 slate will pit the five-time Big South Champion Lancers against a stacked non-conference gauntlet that includes four conference champions, six NCAA Regional qualifiers, and one opponent who participated in the Women's College World Series. On the schedule in 2020 consists of College World Series contender, the University of Florida, along with ACC power-houses, Florida State, Duke, University of North Carolina, and Virginia Tech. NCAA Regional qualifiers, North Dakota State. Florida A&M, and James Madison and South East Louisiana also appear on the docket for the Lancers.Â
•   For the fifth straight season, Longwood was tabbed to win the Big South. Despite capturing five Big South Championships in its seven previous seasons.Â
•   Sophomore Sydney Jacobsen leads Longwood with a .315 batting average, with a team-best 17 hits and is second on the team with eight RBIs.Â
•   The Big South Preseason Pitcher of the Year, Sydney Backstrom leads Longwood with 61 strikeouts in 71.2 innings in the circle for the Lancers. Backstrom captured her first victory of the 2020 season on opening day, pitching 8.0 innings for the complete game, striking out 13 batters in the process.Â
•   Senior Kasey Carr is third in fielding double-plays in the Big South as the senior shortstop has turned six double-plays for the Lancers in 14 contests. First baseman Madison Blair has been on the receiving end of three of Carr's double-plays. Â
•   Newcomer Lauren Taylor leads the Lancer offense with the longest on-base-streak of the season. Taylor reached base in eight straight contests for the Lancers. Kelly Park has the longest active such streak on the team, reaching base in five straight games.Â
• Longwood has swept 25 of the three-game series it has played among conference foes while accumulating a 122-39 (.758) regular-season record since joining the Big South.Â
• The Lancers have won 44 of their 52 series against Big South conference opponents since joining the league .
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Weekend schedule
•   Longwood opens the home schedule with a double-header against Rhode Island before jumping into Big South Conference play March 14-15 at Charleston Southern. Â
•   The Lancers will play a three-game series against the Buccaneers with a double-header against Charleston Southern on Saturday. Â
   The Week at a Glance
   Wednesday, March 11
   3:30 p.m. --Rhode Island vs Longwood  Â
   5:30 p.m. --Rhode Island vs Longwood           Â
   Saturday, March 14th
   1:00 p.m. -- Longwood at Charleston So.
   3:00 p.m. --Longwood at Charleston So.
   Sunday, March 15thÂ
   1:00 p.m.. --Longwood at Charleston So.
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   Scouting Rhode Island
•   Rhode Island has a busy slate, as it plays seven games in a five-day stretch starting Wednesday.
•   Rhode Island is looking to snap a nine-game losing streak.
•   Senior Erika Yeager leads Rhode Island in hits (15) and batting average (.313).
• As a team, the Rams are 14-for-15 in stolen base attempts. Sophomore Faith Mussel-white is a perfect 7-for-7.
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