FARMVILLE, Va. — As Big South Conference play approaches, the Lancers are red-hot. Longwood (10-11) sweeps the twin-bill today against the University of Rhode Island (4-16), and are winners of five of their last six contests. 

Pitchers Sydney Backstrom and Arleigh Wood went the distance in their starts for the Lancers earning the victories and holding the Rams to a combined two runs and seven hits. Complimenting the impressive pitching performance from Longwood was the offense as the Lancers scored 10 runs on 12 hits in the two-game sweep. 

Sophomore Alexis Wayland and freshman Nia Green powered the Lancers to a 3-1 victory in game one against the Rams, with Wayland and Green both recording home runs in the win. Destiny Martinez and Lauren Taylor stepped up at the plate for the Lancers in game two, recording two hits and one RIB each in the 7-1 victory. 

"We played well today," said sophomore Alexis Wayland. "We struggled at times in Florida, and today we worked well as a team to have the momentum and drive to go forward. Everyone knows that we are the favorites in the Big South, and we are ready for it. Today shows that we are prepared for anybody to come and play us. We need to keep grinding at practice, and the results we want will continue coming to us if we keep working hard and keep our momentum up." 
 

The double-feature sweep for Longwood improves the Lancers to 10-11 on the season as the Lancers prepare for their first series of Big South Conference play. Longwood improves to 8-2 in their last 10 home openers at Lancer Field and 12-5 in home openers dating back to the 2004 season. Longwood winners of five of their last six contests, travel to the Buccaneers of Charleston Southern to begin conference play. The Lancers are 18-6 against Charleston Southern since joining the Big South, including two of the three contests the previous season against the Buccaneers. 

Game One: Backstrom Limits Rams Offense With Complete-Game Performance

A dominant pitching performance from Sydney Backstrom backed by power at the plate from Longwood's offense propelled the Lancers to a 3-1 victory in game one of the double-feature. 

Receiving the start in the circle for the Lancers was junior Sydney Backstrom, and the Big South Preseason Pitcher of the Year went the distance for the Lancers and collected her eighth win of the season. Backstrom's seven-inning performance marks the ninth complete game for the junior. Over the 7.0 innings of work, Backstrom stuck out five Rams, bringing her season total to 66 punch-outs on the year. 

The Rams struck first, but Longwood's offense responded with the home run as all three of the Lancers run came by way of a home run. Sophomore Alexis Wayland gave the Lancers the lead with a two-run shot in the bottom of the third inning to straightaway center field over the Longwood logo, giving the Lancers a 2-1 advantage over Rhode Island. 

"I did not realize it was a home run off the bat," Wayland commented. "When I was rounding second, and everyone was yelling and cheering, that was when I knew it was out of the park."

Freshman Nia Green continued to make her presence known in the Lancer lineup, as Green recorded her first collegiate home run in a Lancer uniform, giving Longwood a 3-1 advantage after four innings of play. 

Backstrom settled in after allowing three hits in the first three innings, held the Rams hitless in the final four innings of play, leading the Lancers to a 3-1 victory over the Rams. 

Game two: Wood and the Lancer Defense Lift Longwood to Series Sweep

Early offense from Longwood backed by Arleigh Wood and the Lancer defense secured the twin-bill sweep for the Lancers over Rhode Island, 7-1. 

Longwood jumped out to an early lead as a single from Mason Basdikis, and a first-inning double off the bat of Kasey Carr gave the Lancers a 2-0 lead after one inning of play as Alexis Wayland and Basdikis scored in the inning. 

Rhode Island responded in the second to the Lancers offense with a leadoff single from Hannah Desousa who would later score in the inning on a wild pitch, cutting Longwood's lead back to one run. 

A huge fourth inning from the Lancers added four runs to the scoreboard as Longwood scored four runs on three hits, while the Rams recorded three errors in the inning, including a single from Destiny Martinez that rolled under the glove of the Rams center fielder that allowed Martinez to score on the play. 

Wood and the Lancer defense buckled down after securing a six-run advantage as Wood held the Rams offense to one hit in the final three innings, including two spectacular double-plays from the Lancer defense to secure the series sweep, 7-1. 

#GoWood