ATHENS, Ga. – In terms of first career wins, they couldn't have gotten much bigger for first-year Longwood softball head coach Dr. Megan Brown.
 
In one of the biggest upsets of the early portion of the 2021 NCAA softball season, the Lancers (2-1) opened their second day of the season with a 3-2 takedown of No. 16 Georgia for their first win of the year and first under first-year head coach Dr. Megan Brown.
 
The win on day two of the Georgia Classic at Jack Turner Stadium was the Lancers' first over a ranked team since a 6-4 upset of No. 15 Cal on May 4, 2018, and the 10th such top-25 victory in the program's Division I era since 2005.
 
After knocking off the Bulldogs (3-2) in game one of a day-long doubleheader, the Lancers were six outs away from capping a sweep in Saturday's nightcap against Kent State (1-1) before a two-run, sixth-inning homer from Brenna Brownfield erased a 1-0 lead and lifted the Golden Flashes to a 2-1 victory.
 
Brownfield's homer in game two was one of the few blemishes on a dominant day from Longwood's pitching staff, which scattered nine hits and four runs across 13 innings of work. Senior ace Sydney Backstrom carried the lead by throwing 6.2 of those frames, securing the win over Georgia with a two-out save and throwing her 29th career complete game in Saturday's nightcap.
 
Game 1: Longwood 3, No. 16 Georgia 2
 
Behind a combined three-hit performance from veteran pitchers Arleigh Wood, Angelina Sherba, Leigha Hill and Sydney Backstrom, Longwood shut down a No. 16 Georgia (3-2) team that entered the day averaging 7.8 runs per game.
 
The senior Wood started the game and scattered one run in 2.0 innings, while Sherba, Hill and Backstrom teamed up to navigate the final five frames and secure the Lancers' 10th all-time win over a ranked Division I foe.
 
"I'm so proud of each and every one of our young ladies," said Brown, whose coaching resume also includes seasons at Akron, Auburn and UConn. "There was not one person on our team that didn't contribute to today's game. We talk about competing together, and they truly showed the Longwood softball fight and grit."
 
Hill, a two-way player who had not pitched in a Lancer uniform prior to Saturday, was nearly untouchable out of the bullpen, shutting out Georgia in the fourth, fifth and sixth to preserve Longwood's slim lead. Georgia slugger Mackenzie Puckett finally got to her in the top of the seventh with a leadoff home run, but Hill bounced back to induce a groundout from eight-hitter Jayda Kearney.
 
Brown then called on her ace Backstrom, who came out firing to strike out pinch hitter Jaiden Fields for the second out. Georgia leadoff batter Sydney Kuma followed with a single up the middle but got no farther than first base and Backstrom got two-hitter Savana Sikes to fly out to center fielder Lauren Taylor for the final out.
 
The collective performance of Longwood's four pitchers was enough to make RBI from Mason Basdikis, Leah Powell and Alexis Wayland stand. Basdikis and Wayland sent in their two runs during a go-ahead top of the third, with Basdikis driving in Taylor with a bunt single, and Wayland following with a sacrifice lineout to left field.
 
Meanwhile, Powell sent in the eventual game-winning run with a well-placed safety squeeze that dropped in just between Georgia pitcher Lauren Mathis (0-1) and second baseman Kuma to score Lancer first baseman Sydney Jacobsen.
 
Of the 10 wins Longwood softball has earned over top-25 teams in the Division I era, three have now come against Georgia. The Lancers previously defeated the No. 8 Bulldogs 7-5 on May 11, 2011 and the No. 17 Bulldogs 2-1 on March 2, 2008.
 
Saturday's win over the 16th-ranked Bulldogs is the fourth-highest ranked team the Lancers have beaten, surpassing No. 8 Georgia in 2011, No. 14 Hawaii in 2011 and No. 15 Cal in 2018.
 
Game 2: Kent State 2, Longwood 1
 
All-Big South right-hander Sydney Backstrom came within six outs of earning her fifth career shutout, but Kent State turned the game around with one swing of the bat from Brenna Brownfield in the bottom of the sixth inning to overcome Longwood 2-1 Saturday night at Jack Turner Stadium.
 
Backstrom blanked the Golden Flashes through her first 5.0 innings of work, protecting a 1-0 lead that came on the strength of a solo home run from veteran second baseman Destiny Martinez in the first inning.
 
Backstrom, who earlier in the day got the final two outs and a save in the 3-2 win over Georgia, allowed just five base runners in her first five innings of work and retired the side in order in the fourth and fifth innings. Taking the circle in the sixth, however, a leadoff walk to Kaitlyn Miller came back to haunt her one at bat later when Brownfield launched the second pitch she saw over the left field wall for a go-ahead two-run homer.
 
Longwood graduate student Kasey Carr tried to ignite a rally in response in the top of the seventh by drawing a leadoff walk and moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mason Basdikis, but Kent State pitcher Jessica LeBeau bounced back to retire the next two Lancers to end the game and earn a complete-game win.
 
Longwood strung together five hits against LeBeau but the freshman right-hander stranded five runners, including Carr's potential tying run on second base in the seventh.
 
"Tonight's game brought many great lessons that are essential for every team to learn," Brown said. "I am thankful we're learning them early and excited for the growth we'll see from it."
 
The Lancers will conclude their four-game gauntlet at the Georgia Classic Sunday morning with a 10:45 a.m. rematch against Kent State.
 
#GoWood