LYNCHBURG, Va. — The Longwood softball team jumped on Liberty starter Tyler Oubre for two runs in the first inning, but the 24th-ranked Flames scored nine unanswered for a 9-2 non-conference win at Kamphuis Field on Wednesday.

Longwood scored first for just the 10th time this season as three consecutive hits with one out in the top of the first inning produced a 2-0 lead. First, Brooke Bennett singled to left field before Avery Miller doubled to the gap in left-center field.

Maggie Hiatt then laced a single up the middle to plate Bennett. The Flames' KK Madrey was unable to field the ball cleanly in center field, allowing both pinch runner Kate Westmiller and Miller to come home for the lead.

"Proud of their grit and fight they have faced a gauntlet of a schedule and these young ladies keep coming out to play hard and compete," Longwood head coach Dr. Meyan Brown said. "Proud of their growth and determination."

The Lancers faced the minimum in the in the Liberty first inning as Morgan Strickland worked around a Savannah Woodard single to strike out Rachel Roupe and Maryanna Guy gunned down Woodard attempting steal second to end the frame.

The Flames' offense got in gear in the bottom of the second to take the lead with three runs on three hits and three errors. Madrey reached on a bunt single with one out in the inning a pair of throwing errors allowed Savannah Whatley to come across and cut the lead in half.

Paige Doerr then reached on a field error at first base that plated Madrey to tie the game, 2-2. Two batters later Rachel Craine doubled home Doerr for the lead.

Liberty widened the deficit to 6-2 in the third with a sac fly from Brynn McManus prior to a Whatley RBI single. Later in the inning, Doerr tripled to right center, scoring Whatley.

The Lancers loaded the bases in the top of the fourth against Oubre and reliever Paige Bachman on a Bailey Bucholz single and walks to Sarah Terrell and Naleya Bridges. Bachman, though, got out of the inning unscathed.

Cierra Gawyluk entered in the fourth for Morgan Strickland and retired the first five batters she faced before Whatley walked and a Madrey bunt single put runners on the corners. Madrey was then caught stealing but not before Whatley scored on the play to push the lead to 7-2.

The Flames made it a seven-run game in the sixth with a Craine RBI double and Woodard sac fly for the final margin.

Bachman earned the win in the circle, improving to 6-1 with four innings of one-hit relief with five strikeouts and two walks. Strickland fell to 0-5, allowing eight hits and six runs in three innings.

Hiatt hit 2-for-4 with an RBI while Bennett went 2-for-3 for the Lancers. Whatley, Madrey, Doerr and Craine collected two hits apiece for Liberty (28-6).

Longwood (6-22) returns to action Saturday in the first game of a Big South series with Gardner-Webb at Bank of the James Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m., on ESPN+.