LONGWOOD, Fla. – Early offense led the Lancers to split the final day of The Spring Games as Longwood bested Creighton 3-2, but fell to Bethune-Cookman, 7-4. 
 
Longwood's (8-11) offense scored in the first inning of both games today and scored four of their seven runs today before the third inning. The Lancers seven runs came off of 12 hits, including two home runs off the bats of Alexis Wayland and Sydney Jacobsen. 
 
Destiny Martinez led the Lancers at the plate with three hits on the day, Alexis Wayland, Mason Basdikis, Sydney Jacobsen, and Kasey Carr finished the day with two hits apiece, combining for 11 of the Lancers 12 hits. 
 
In the circle, Sydney Jacobsen picked up her seventh win of the season for her performance against Creighton University. The All-Big South pitcher delivered 4.0 inning of shutout work for the Lancers, allowing only three hits while striking out four Bluejays. 
 
The split improves the Lancers to 8-11 on the season playing all 19 contests away from Lancer Field, and the last 15 games coming in the Sunshine State. Longwood will now head north and prepare for their home-opener on March 11 against the University of Rhode Island. The Rams and Lancers have met once already this season with Longwood getting the best of Rhode Island in the season opener at the Elon Softball Classic, 5-2. 
 
Game One: Long Ball Drives Lancers Past Bluejays
 
A two-hit performance from leadoff batter Alexis Wayland, including her first home run of the season, proved to be the difference as the Lancers defeated the Creighton (11-10) Bluejays, 3-2. 
 
A good leadoff hitter gets on base, and that is precisely how Longwood's Alexis Wayland started the game for the Lancers as Wayland singled up the middle. Smart baserunning from Wayland moved her into scoring position for Kelly Park's sacrifice fly to center field to score the games first run. 
 
Wayland continued her success at the plate in the second inning as the sophomore drove a pitch over the left-field fence for a two-run home run, Wayland's first of the season. The blast to left field gave Longwood the early 3-0 advantage over the Bluejays. 
 
Offensively, the Lancers leaned on Alexis Wayland at the plate as the sophomore went 2-for-3 at the plate, recording her first home run of the season, and scoring two runs herself as Wayland contributed to every Lancer run in the victory. 
 
With a three-run advantage over Creighton All-Big South pitcher Sydney Backstrom went to work holding the Bluejays scoreless in her 4.0 innings of work for the Lancers. Backstrom was credited for the win, her seventh of the season, allowed Creighton to scatter three hits and struck out four Bluejays in the process. 
 
Creighton threatened the Lancers in the sixth inning when Wilson doubled to left-center for the Bluejays, scoring two runs on the hit, and cutting into the Lancers lead. Arleigh Wood, who entered in relief for Backstrom in the fifth inning, worked the Lancers out of the inning with a 3-2 advantage over Creighton. 
 
Wood and the Lancers faced the minimum in the top of the 7th to secure Longwood the victory over Creighton, 3-2.
 
Game Two: Longwood's Late-Inning Rally Falls Short
 
A four-run first inning proved too much for the Lancers as Bethune-Cookman (4-25) added three runs to their impressive first inning to best Longwood 7-4 in the finale of The Spring Games. 
 
Longwood got off to a hot start in game two of the day as Sydney Jacobsen launched a pitch over the outfield wall for a first-inning home run. Bethune-Cookman instantly responded to the Lancers in the bottom half of the inning. The Wildcats scored four runs in the first and tacked on three more runs before the end of the third inning, taking a commanding 7-1 lead over the Lancers. 
 
After two scoreless innings of play by both programs, Longwood began to rally in the sixth inning. The Lancers loaded the bases with nobody out in the inning. Kasey Carr delivered for the Lancers with a single to center field that scored Sydney Jacobsen and Destiny Martinez, as Longwood cut the Wildcats lead to 7-4. 
 
Longwood ended the sixth inning trailing by three and was not able to finish their rally in the seventh as Bethune-Cookman secured the 7-4 victory over the Lancers. 
 
Sophomore Angelina Sherba was tabbed for the first start of her career in the circle for the Lancers. Sherba was credited with the loss and finished with 3.0 innings of work to show in her first career start, allowing eight hits and six earned runs. Arleigh Wood made her second appearance in relief for Longwood and closed out the final 3.0 innings.  
 
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