The Longwood Women's Softball Team is having yet another fantastic season. For the past 15 straight years, the team has acquired 20 or more wins, a tradition of success. Continuing that success over spring break, the team won eight of 10 games and added memorable victories over James Madison in two games, along with wins over Ohio and North Carolina Central.
Coach Riley's knack for winning continues. According to longwoodlancers. com, the Longwood Women's Softball team's win a year ago against Cornell marked Head Coach Kathy Riley's milestone 500th collegiate coaching victory, an accomplishment held by very few. Boasting a 452- 239 overall record with the Lancers, Coach Riley has led her team to at least eight 30-win seasons. Now with approximately 539 wins, Riley has provided her team the expertise needed to play some of the best teams in the country. Though three losses were added to their record this past weekend, an upset over #25 Depaul shows no doubt both the tenacity and ability of the Longwood Softball Team. Returning from two great weekends, the Lancers continued their 2012 season down in Tuscany, Alabama this past weekend playing two of the best teams in the nation, #25 Depaul and #1 Alabama.
The Lancers would fall to both Depaul and Alabama Friday afternoon, 10-2 and 11-0. Playing Depaul to begin the day, Longwood took an early lead in the first on a double from freshman Megan Baltzell (Stafford, VA) and scoring freshman Kori Nishitomi. (Kaneohe, Hawaii). The lead would be short-lived though, as Depaul tied the game in the bottom of the inning, only allowing the Lancers one more run the rest of the game. Losing by a final of 10-2, the Lancers were led by Baltzell with two hits and two RBI. In their second game versus. Alabama, the Lancers would give up seven runs in the first inning, making it difficult to recover. Baltzell, senior Brittany Latka (Purcellville, VA) and junior Courtney Long (Mechanicsville, VA) would all go 1-2, however, they were unable to cash in on any runs. The game would end after five innings losing by a final of 11-0. On day two of the tournament, the Lancers upset Depaul the second time around, winning by a final of 4-1. Homering for the first time this season, Ashley Kramer (Ashburn, VA) led the Lancers, going 3-3 and knocking in two RBI. The three remaining runs for Longwood came off RBI singles from both junior Brooke Short (Hurt, VA) and sophomore Marci Christian (Arvonia, VA). Junior pitcher Ashley Cornell (Portsmouth, VA) pitched all seven innings, only allowing five hits.
Alabama would fail to shutout the Lancers a second time but would nonetheless win by a final of 10- 2. Runs for Longwood came in the fourth off a Brooke Short solo homerun and in the fifth off a Nishitomi double, scoring Brittani Latka. Undaunted by their three losses away last weekend, the Lancers bounced back yesterday, defeating Hampton in two games. The team continues their 20-12 record this Saturday at South Carolina University, then returns home Sunday for a double header against Virginia at 3:30 p.m. In Farmville, the Lancers are 11-1 this season, adding to their overall 64- 20 home-field record since becoming eligible for Division 1 in 2008.
