FARMVILLE, Va. — The Longwood softball team dropped a senior day doubleheader to Howard, 5-2 and 4-1, to close the regular-season slate at Bank of the James Park on Sunday.
The Bison (28-17), winners of 17 of their last 18 games, benefited from nine Lancers' errors in the two games, including five in the nightcap, scoring five unearned runs on the day.
Howard never trailed, opening a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning of the first game and added three more in the fifth.
Longwood got on the scoreboard with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning when
Avery Miller doubled to left field with two out, scoring pinch runner
Mary Zepeda from second.
Brooke Bennett was hit by a pitch to led off the frame before Zepeda came on for her and was sacrificed to second by
Naleya Bridges.
The Lancers mounted a threat in the bottom of the seventh inning when
Sarah Terrell walked and
Kate Westmiller beat an roller on the infield for a base hit with one out. Terrell moved to third on the play and came around to score as
Avery Drake singled to left field with two out for the final margin.
Howard pitcher Julia Holt struck out Bennett to end the game. Holt allowed six hits and one earned run with three strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings to claim the win in the circle, improving to 9-3.
Er'ron Burton fell to 5-5 on the year in the first three innings. She surrendered two hits and two unearned runs, giving way to
Cierra Gawryluk.
Longwood outhit Howard, 6-5 in the first game, getting extra-base hits from Drake (first-inning triple) and Miller's double. Bridges, Terrell and Westmiller had the other knocks for the Lancers.
Howard again jumped out in front in the second game, scoring three runs over the first two innings to take a 3-0 lead. Alyssa Vasquez reached on a fielder's choice to shortstop and Kenna Higa came around to score three batters into the game. Next up, Sidney Fetcher struck out and Vasquez was cut down at second base attempting to steal. Lealani Ricks scored on the play to make it 2-0 Bison.
Ricks then added an RBI single to left field in the second to push the lead to three.
Howard scored a fourth run in the top of the the seventh on a throwing error by the catcher, but the Lancers again attempted to mount a last-ditch comeback in their half of the the inning. Terrell singled to right field with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch. Bennett then shot a single to gap in left-center field to score Terrell.
Longwood, though, got no closer.
Playing her final two games at home in Farmville after being honored along with Burton in a pregame ceremony, Drake accomplished a rare feat in the second game. The graduate student center fielder played all nine positions on the field, capping the day by facing two batters in the circle in the top of the seventh inning.
Maggie Chapin (8-13) took the pitching loss for the Lancers, giving four hits and one earned run in seven innings.
Ameenah Ballenger (10-5) won it for the Bison with 3 2/3 innings of one-run ball and four strikeouts.
Longwood (20-30) now readies for the Big South tournament which opens Thursday at noon in Clinton, S.C., against USC Upstate.
