FARMVILLE, Va. — Charleston Southern took both ends of a Big South doubleheader against the Longwood softball team, 6-4 and 4-3, as the Lancers christened Bank of the James Park on Friday.
With the wins, the Buccaneers pulled even with Longwood (14-27, 7-7 Big South) for fourth place in the league standings.
Weslin Jones shot a single to right field that plated two runs to break a 4-4 tie in the top of the sixth inn of the first game of the day. Charleston Southern (18-25, 7-7) then scored twice in the top of the sixth in the first game of the day to break a 4-4 deadlock and then scored two times in the fifth to and held on for the doubleheader sweep.
"Not what we wanted for today," Longwood head coach
Dr. Megan Brown said. "Lots of work to do for tomorrow."
Avery Jefferson led the way offensively for the Lancers on the day, going 3-for-7 with two runs scored and one driven in.
Avery Miller posted three hits in her three game-two at-bats, driving in a pair of runs on a game-tying single to left field that helped Longwood pull even at 2-2 in the bottom of the third inning.
The Lancers scored first in the bottom of the first inning of the opener when
Avery Drake singled through the left side, scoring
Brooke Bennett, who had doubled to begin the frame.
The Bucs responded with two runs in the top of the second and two more in the fourth to open a 4-1 lead. Longwood rallied to knot the game, 4-4, in the bottom of the fourth, sending eight to the plate.
Jefferson,
Sophia Pisacano and
Naleya Bridges came up with consecutive RBI singles with two out off of CSU pitcher Riley Lauffer (9-8) to pull even. Jones, however, put the Bucs ahead for good in the sixth with her two-run base hit.
Er'ron Burton (2-4) relieved starter
Maggie Chapin with one out in the fourth and went the rest of the way. She surrendered three hits and two unearned runs, with a strikeout and walk, taking the loss.
In the nightcap, Charleston Southern took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first. The Lancers, though, battled back to tie in the bottom of the third on Miller's two-run single. Drake then gave her team a 3-2 lead with an RBI double to center field, scoring Pisacano in the fourth.
Harper Schoeneweis hit an RBI double of her own in the top of the fifth to tie things prior to a Gracie Prince sacrifice fly to right field off of
Erin Kirkland gave the Bucs the lead.
Morgan Strickland (3-7) gave up all runs for the second-game loss. She started and lasted four innings, giving up six hits and two earned runs with a strikeout and two walks. Kirkland finished with three innings of two-hit ball.
Kinsey Clopton (7-7) went the distance for the Bucs, allowing seven hits and five walks. She fanned five and threw 141 pitches.
The teams close the series with a single game beginning at 1 p.m., at Bank of the James Park.
