ATHENS, Ga. – After going nearly a full calendar year between games, Longwood softball was more than ready to get back on the field in 2021. Even if it meant facing one of the best teams in the nation.
 
In their first game in 345 days since the COVID-19 pandemic cut short their 2020 season, the Big South powerhouse Lancers dropped their season opener 10-2 at the hands of No. 16 Georgia (3-1) Friday afternoon at Jack Turner Stadium.
 
Making their debut under first-year head coach Dr. Megan Brown, Longwood (0-1) ran into an SEC buzzsaw in the form of SEC Pitcher of the Year contender Mary Wilson Avant, who threw 5.0 innings of a combined no-hitter alongside Britton Rogers and Madison Kerpics to open the Bulldogs' three-team Georgia Classic.
 
Last year's SEC leader in wins and strikeouts, Avant struck out 10 Lancers and worked around three walks to secure her sixth consecutive win dating back to her breakout 2020 season. She left the game briefly in the top of the fifth, opening the window for a two-run Lancer rally that included an RBI walk drawn by third baseman Mason Basdikis and a laser of a sacrifice fly from leadoff batter Alexis Wayland, but Georgia's error-free defense bailed her out
 
However, Georgia's defense bailed Avant and her fellow Bulldog arms out of the jam by turning Wayland's lineout to deep left field into a double play when catcher Payden Bordeau threw out Lancer shortstop Kasey Carr at third trying to take an extra base.
 
That play was part of an error-free performance from Georgia, which finished the shortened 2020 season 22-5 overall and ranked No. 33 in the final NCAA RPI release. Returning five starters and 17 letterwinners from that squad, the Bulldogs showcased that experience at the plate as well, belting 11 hits, including a two-run homer from Sara Mosley and another three-run shot from Jessica Morgan.
 
That offensive outburst allowed Georgia to become only the second team since 2020 to tag Longwood ace Sydney Backstrom for more than four runs in a game she started, joining fellow SEC powerhouse Florida, which did so on Feb. 14, 2020. Backstrom worked around 10 hits in her 4.1 non-consecutive innings, which were broken up by a 1.0-inning relief appearance from fellow senior Arleigh Wood in the fifth.
 
The Lancers struggled to provide Backstrom with run support against Avant, getting all six base-runners by walk, four of which came in succession during the two-run fifth. Sophomore Nia Green drew the first of those and came around to score three batters later before Wayland cranked her sacrifice fly that drove home Lauren Taylor.
 
However, the Bulldogs stranded three Lancers on base for the game to lower their team under ERA to 1.56 on the season.
 
Longwood will get another shot at the Bulldogs Saturday morning at 11 a.m. in the first of two games on the day at the Georgia Classic. After facing Georgia in the morning, the Lancers will get a break until 5:30 p.m. when they will face Kent State. Longwood's Sunday finale at the tournament will be a rematch against the Golden Flashes at 10:45 a.m.
 
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