The Presbyterian College softball team used a four-run seventh inning in game one and a three-run fifth inning in game two, to break ties in both games and help the Blue Hose to the 6-2 and 4-2 victories against Longwood this afternoon in Big South action in Farmville, Va.
PC improved to 22-27 overall and 7-13 in the Big South, while Longwood dropped to 33-16, 13-7. Both teams meet Saturday at 11 a.m., for the series finale. The game will be televised live on ESPN3.
Game One: PC 6, Longwood 2
The Blue Hose scored four runs in the top of the seventh to break open a 2-2 tie and take the eventual 6-2 win in game one.
Brooke Short, who came in relief, threw 1.0 inning and gave up four runs off four hits for the loss (17-7). Kensley Loudermelk threw a complete game for PC, allowing one earned run off eight hits, and picked up the win (12-12).
The Blue Hose opened game one with two runs in the first inning, the first coming from Morgan Durham who singled to right field and scored off a Kersten Legacki double. Legacki plated the next at-bat after Erin Ruff hit a single of her own down the right field line, as the Blue Hose hit three straight. Longwood changed pitchers, with Ashley Cornell coming in, and the next two batters were retired with PC leading 2-0.
The Lancers got a run back in the third after Kori Nishitomi, who reached on a PC error to lead the off the inning, came home off a Brooke Short double. Longwood tied the game, 2-2, when Carly Adams hit a RBI single with one out to score Emily Murphy.
The game tied, 2-2, in the top of the seventh, the Blue Hose broke it open with four runs. Highlighting the inning was a three-RBI triple by Cat Tarvin, who went two-for-four in the game. She scored Durham, Courtney Lawton and Tera Powell. Petik's double down the middle brought home Tarvin as PC took a 6-2 lead. It was Petik's third hit of the game.
Loudermelk allowed a couple of hits in the bottom of the seventh but retired the last two batters, the last striking out swinging, to preserve the PC win.
Game Two: PC 4, Longwood 2
A three-run fifth inning, highlighted by a two-RBI double by Erin Taylor, broke a 1-1 tie and gave PC a 4-2 win in game two, earning the daily sweep.
Tarvin pitched a complete game for PC, earning the win (5-4) after surrendering just two runs off five hits. Cornell earned the loss for Longwood (2-2), giving up four runs off seven hits.
After a quiet first inning, PC opened the second with a single by Tarvin, who led the team with a two-for-three effort. She advanced to third the next play off a Ruff single. Two batters later Jill McLean hit into a fielder's choice, with the play being made at second, but not before Tarvin ran across the plate to give the Blue Hose the 1-0 lead.
Megan Baltzell doubled with one out in the third to put a runner in scoring position for Longwood. After reaching third on a Short single, Baltzell scored the next at-bat off the RBI ground-out by Murphy, as the Lancers tied the game 1-1.
Alyssa Goodin led off the fifth with a single and put herself in scoring position after McLean, who went one-for-three, singled to second base. Both scored when Taylor doubled to left field the next play as PC took the 3-1 lead. Taylor came home for the fourth run off a RBI single from Legacki two batters later and the Blue Hose led 4-1.
A sacrifice fly by Jordan Cox brought in Longwood's second run in the bottom of the sixth, with Chelsea Sciacca, who had reached base on a single and advanced to second and then third off a fielder's choice and wild pitch.
Leading 4-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Tarvin, gave up just one hit and retired the last two batters with a ground out and a pop up to help the Blue Hose earn the win and sweep of the day.
