FARMVILLE, Va. — Freshman left-hander
Cierra Gawryluk fired a complete-game 6-0 shutout in the second game of a Big South Conference doubleheader against Radford as the Longwood softball team split a doubleheader at Lancer Field Saturday.
Gawryluk (1-5) limited the Highlanders to just four hits and did not walk a batter in 84 pitches for her first career complete-game win. The Suffolk, Va., native struck one and induced 14 fly-ball outs and five groundouts to help Longwood (15-28, 8-6 Big South) split. Radford (20-21, 5-9) won the opener, 5-3.
"Proud of our team's response in game two," said Longwood head coach
Dr. Megan Brown. "They know how to fight. As a team, we have an uphill road before us, but we have trained for this. Excited for the opportunities ahead."
Longwood scored two runs in the second and fourth innings as well as single runs in the fifth and sixth innings of game two.
Maggie Hiatt and
Lauren Fox began the scoring with singles up the middle, scoring
Emily Vinson and
Peyton Coleman, respectively.
Fox added a single to right field that scored Hiatt in the fourth before Fox and
Avery Drake orchestrated a perfect double steal with Drake swiping home and and Fox second for a 4-0 advantage. Vinson then singled through the right side, chasing
Sophia Knock home in the fifth, prior to Knock singling up the middle to score Fox in the sixth to cap the scoring.
Longwood banged out 12 hits and left eight on base throughout the second game. Radford turned three double plays in the contest.
Fox went 4-for-4 with a run scored with a run scored and two stolen bases to lead the offense. Longwood stole a season-high 10 bases as team, with both Vinson and Drake picking up three apiece. Vinson, the only other Lancer with multiple hits, was 3-for-3 with a run scored.
Abby Peace dropped to 1-4 on the season in the circle for Radford in the loss. She lasted 3 1/3 innings, surrendering eight hits, four earned runs and three walks. Ellen Palya threw the final 2 2/3 frames, giving up up four hits, two earned runs and three walks with one strikeout.
Radford's Lexie Roberts lined a triple to the wall off of Longwood righty
Maggie Chapin in the top of the third inning of game one. Abby Bossler, who walked and stole second with one out, scored on the play for a 1-0 Radford lead.
Cassi Barbato singled in Roberts in the sixth inning and Rachel Smith later hit a three-run homer to left-center as Radford opened a 5-0 lead.
The Lancers mounted a rally in the seventh. Knock singled to center to begin the inning, followed by a
Korynna Anderson walk. Vinson then lined a single to right, scoring pinch runner
Kate Westmiller and moving Anderson to third. Hiatt then reached on a fielding error at third base to load the bases.
Avery Miller lifted a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Anderson for a 5-2 game. After a groundout, Fox singled to third, scoring Vinson, but
Mary Zepeda was tagged out at third, ending the game.
Fox was 3-for-4 in the first game with Knock collecting a pair of hits, as well. Chloe Greene improved to 7-3 in the circle, scattering seven hits, two earned runs and a walk over seven innings.
Chapin (13-14) went 5 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and five runs Gawryluk finished game one with 1 2/3 innings of perfect softball with one strikeout.
The rubber game of the series is set for Sunday at 1 p.m., on ESPN+. The Lancers are set to honor their six seniors — Anderson, Coleman,
Kayley DeVivi,
Rileigh De Weese, Fox and
Lauren Taylor — prior to first pitch.