The Longwood softball team (12-8) returned to winning ways at home with a three-game sweep over Campbell University, and junior pitcher Elizabeth McCarthy moved into second place on Longwood’s career strikeouts list.

Head coach Kathy Riley (center) talks to junior pitcher Elizabeth McCarthy (right) and freshman catcher Kaylynn Batten.
The Lancers came into the series on a five-game losing streak, but improved during the March 18 doubleheader, taking the first game 7-2, before winning the nightcap 6-1. The home side then won 10-4 the following day to cap the weekend.
"I think we're barely starting to scratch the surface on what we can do as a group," Riley said on the official Longwood athletics website. "Our best softball is still out in front of us. We're still a couple weeks away, but I did see better swings and people were more comfortable at the plate."
Although deadlocked at 1-1 early on, Longwood took the series opener behind an offensive outburst in the third inning. The Lancers racked up five runs off seven straight hits in the inning, including a two-run single from junior outfielder Justina Augustine.
Freshman Sydney Gay (4-3) picked up the win in relief of McCarthy, giving up just one run on two hits, with a pair of walks and a pair of strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work.
In the second game of the day, the Lancers capitalized on three Campbell errors in the fourth inning to take a 3-1 lead. Then, in the sixth inning, the hosts capped off the win with back-to-back home runs. Freshman outfielder Mariah Ellis collected her first career hit with a two run home run, before sophomore first baseman Kelsey Sweeney followed up with a solo shot of her own.
McCarthy (6-5) earned the win, giving up one run on three hits with five strikeouts in four innings. Junior pitcher Jenna Carnes gave up no runs and no hits over the final three innings to record the save for the Lancers.
Longwood finished the sweep over their Big South rivals on Saturday with another hitting explosion, notching a season-high 13 hits and scoring in all but one inning. Freshman catcher Kaylynn Batten led the way with four RBI, along with three runs from senior second baseman Carly Adams.
McCarthy (7-5) got the win once again, with 3.2 scoreless innings in relief of Gay. Her seven strikeouts within those innings propelled her into second place on Longwood’s career strikeouts list with 414, behind only Brianna Wells, with 572.
Riley praised the performance of her entire four-man pitching staff: McCarthy, Gay, Carnes, and redshirt sophomore Sydney Mundell, who collectively hold a conference-leading 2.16 ERA.
“Right now, I feel we may have the best one-two combination in the conference,” said Riley on the official Longwood athletics website. “But I think we certainly have the best four-man pitching staff in the league. We have a lot of confidence in all of them right now."
The Lancers will look to continue their good form as the face off the University of Virginia in a home doubleheader on Wednesday, March 23, ahead of a three-game road trip.