5.8.2012                 

FARMVILLE, Va. – Longwood University split its final doubleheader of the season last week on the road at future Big South Conference rival Liberty University (11-3, 6-14) on May 5.  The Lancers completed their 2012 campaign with a final record of 29-26, including 18-4 at home on Lancer Field in Farmville.  Longwood could return as many as 12 letterwinners for 2013, including six position starters this season along with the entire pitching staff.

The Head Coach
Kathy Riley has completed her 15th year at Longwood during 2012, and has an outstanding overall record of 463-256-1 since taking over the program prior to the 1998 season, including 14 winning years.  The Lancers final record of 29-26 marks their 15th consecutive 20-win season and 12th 25-win campaign under Riley.  Her overall collegiate coaching career record now stands at 550-338-1.

A Look At Longwood At The Plate | Final Season Statistics
Longwood batted .271 through 55 games while averaging 4.6 runs with 41 home runs, eight triples, 74 doubles, 222 RBI, and 51 stolen bases.  The Lancers were led by freshman Megan Baltzell|Stafford (Mountain View) who hit .344 with nine home runs, two triples, 14 doubles, 35 RBI, 47 runs, 14 stolen bases, a .625 slugging percentage, and a .445 on-base percentage.  She had 14 multi-hit games, and nine multi-RBI games.  Also hitting above .300 were sophomore Leta Bressin|Gloucester (Gloucester) (.336, 1 3B, 2 2B, 10 RBI, 31 R, 13 SB, 10 multi-hit games) and senior Ashley Kramer|Ashburn (Broad Run) (.327, 2 HR, 8 2B, 18 RBI, 24 R, 8 SB, 15 multi-hit games, five multi-RBI games).  Others hitting well included junior Brooke Short|Hurt (Altavista) (.297, 8 HR, 1 3B, 9 2B, 35 RBI, 25 R, 1 SB, 10 multi-hit games, six multi-RBI games) and freshman Kori Nishitomi|Kaneohe, Hawaii (Maryknoll) (.288, 1 3B, 8 2B, 21 RBI, 27 R, 5 SB, 10 multi-hit games, five multi-RBI games).

A Look At Longwood On The Mound | Final Season Statistics
Longwood posted a 4.22 team earned run average through 341.2 innings with 178 strikeouts.  Junior RHP Ashley Cornell|Portsmouth (Churchland) was 10-9 with a 3.28 ERA through 126.0 innings with 69 strikeouts. She made 27 appearances with 18 starts, 15 complete games, two shutouts, and two saves.  Freshman RHP Libby Morris|Dillwyn (Buckingham County) was 13-14 with a 5.04 ERA through 157.0 innings with 77 strikeouts.  She made 33 appearances with 29 starts, 17 complete games, two shutouts, and one save.  LHP Brooke Short (6-3, 4.06 ERA, 58.2 IP, 32K) made 11 early appearances before an injury stopped her pitching duties this season in early March, making eight starts, seven complete games, two shutouts, and two saves.

NCAA Statistics
Through games of May 6, Longwood ranked 36th in Division I doubles per game (1.35), 72nd in slugging percentage (.426), and 84th in both home runs per game (0.75) and scoring (4.56).  Megan Baltzell ranked 64th in doubles per game (0.27), while Ashley Cornell and Brooke Short each ranked 91st in saves (2).

Playing In The Back Yard
Brooke Short enjoyed quite a day during the season-ending twinbill split at Liberty (5.5).  The third-year player from Hurt, located just 25 miles from Lynchburg, had seven plate appearances while 4-6 with two home runs, one double, five RBI, three runs scored, and a walk.  In four career games on the Flames home field, Short has 14 plate appearances while 5-9 with three home runs, one double, six RBI, seven runs scored, and five walks.

Surpassing Previous Career Totals
Ashley Cornell stepped forward following the early-season injury on the pitching staff to Brooke Short and enjoyed a career season … surpassing all of her previous combined numbers for the past two seasons.  Prior to this year, she had made 15 appearances with one start and one save while totaling 24.1 innings with a 3.45 ERA and 10 strikeouts.

Power Surge
Junior Jordan Cox|Springfield (Robert E. Lee) (10 HR, 35 RBI) led Longwood with 10 home runs and 35 RBI this season, followed closely by Megan Baltzell (9 HR, 35 RBI), and Brooke Short (8 HR, 35 RBI) with their respective nine and eight homers this season.  Baltzell and Short each totaled 35 RBI as well to tie Cox for the team lead.  In addition, Short is the career home run leader at Longwood with 37, and ranks third in career RBI (128), while Cox ranks in a tie for fifth all-time with 20 homers.

It's Our Day
Longwood honored its four seniors during Senior Day against Elon (4.25), and each enjoyed greatly their respective days.  Ashley Kramer started both games at shortstop and had eight plate appearances while 5-7 with one home run, four RBI, two runs scored, and a walk while adding three assists in the field. Brittney Latka|Purcellville (Loudoun Valley) started both games in right field and had six plate appearances while 2-5 with one home run, one double, two RBI, two runs scored, and a sacrifice while adding one putout and one assist in the field.  Courtney Long|Mechanicsville (Hanover) started both games at first base and had seven plate appearances while 3-7 with two doubles, one RBI, and one run scored while adding 12 putouts in the field.  Leigh Sexton|Suffolk (Randolph College) started both games at second base and had seven plate appearances while 1-7 with one run scored while adding six putouts and three assists in the field.

Season Superlatives
Jordan Cox had five RBI against Oakland (2.24), two home runs against Western Carolina (2.11), and three doubles against Elon (4.25).  Courtney Long had five RBI and four hits against Ohio (3.18), and was walked three times against Oakland (2.24).  Brooke Short had five RBI and two home runs for nine total bases at Liberty (5.5).  Megan Baltzell also drew three walks against UMBC (2.17), was hit by a pitch three times against Oakland (2.24), and stole two bases against North Carolina Central (3.11).  Leta Bressin stole two bases against both Oakland (2.24) and North Carolina Central (3.10).  Ashley Kramer had seven assists against Purdue (3.4).  Ashley Cornell pitched a career-high 8.0 innings with six strikeouts against Virginia Tech (4.11), and has six strikeouts against Norfolk State (4.12).  Libby Morris had six strikeouts against Western Carolina (2.11) and at Charleston Southern (3.17).  Brooke Short had six strikeouts at Georgia State (2.12) and against UMBC (2.17).

Early Decisions | Miscellaneous Marks
Longwood was involved in 14 games decided before the regulation seven innings per the eight-run rule.  The Lancers were 7-7 in those shortened contests, including wins past UMBC (9-0, 5), St. John's (10-2, 5), St. Peter's (11-0, 5), Ohio (14-4, 6), James Madison (9-0, 5), Norfolk State (9-1, 6), and Liberty (11-3, 6). The losses were to #24 North Carolina (0-16, 5), Ohio State (3-12, 5), Purdue (0-8, 5), #25 DePaul (2-10, 5), #1 Alabama (0-11, 5), #12 Louisville (0-8, 5), and Liberty (6-14, 5). Longwood was 21-1 this season when leading after four innings, 20-1 when leading after five, and 19-1 when leading after six innings, while 23-4 when out-hitting opponents.

Tournament Competition
Longwood opened the 2012 campaign with a 3-1 record at the First Pitch Classic Feb. 11-12 hosted by Georgia State University, earning wins past Western Carolina University (11-10), East Tennessee State University (3-2), and host GSU (11-7) for the title after a one-run setback to GSU (3-2) as well.  The Lancers were 4-0 at their own Lancer Lead-Off Feb. 17-18, including wins past UMBC (9-0, 9-8), St. John's University (10-2), and Seton Hall University (8-5).  Longwood was 4-0 again during its own Wilson DeMarini Spring Classic Feb. 24-26, defeating Oakland University (7-3, 9-3), Iona College (1-0), and St. Peter's College (11-0).  The Lancers were 1-4 at the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic March 2-4 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Florida, defeating Georgetown University (4-3) while falling to The Ohio State University (12-3), Fordham University (5-1) on ESPN3.com, Purdue University (8-0), and North Carolina State University (4-3).  Longwood was 3-1 during its own adidas Longwood Classic March 10-11, defeating North Carolina Central (6-2, 6-1), and splitting against Binghamton (5-2, 0-2).  The Lancers were 1-3 at the Easton Alabama Challenge March 24-25, splitting against #25 DePaul (2-10, 4-1) while swept by #1 Alabama (0-11, 2-7).

Home Field Advantage
Longwood now has an overall record of 88-27 (.765) at Lancer Field, finishing 18-4 at home this season after going 20-3 a year ago.  The Lancers are 71-23 (.755) in Farmville since becoming Division I-eligible for 2008.  Longwood inaugurated competition at the facility in 2007, and won that first game 5-1 past Norfolk State University on February 24, 2007.

Up Next
Longwood will open its 2013 campaign next February, though its first Big South Conference competition will include a three-game series on the road at Winthrop University March 5-6 in Rock Hill, South Carolina.