BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Kelsey Sweeney and Megan Baltzell hit a pair of three-run home runs to lead Longwood past Campbell in Saturday's rubber match, 8-5, at Amanda Littlejohn Stadium. The win is the fifth straight conference series victory for the Lancers this season.

"I feel fortunate for us to win two-of-three games, especially since we were out-hit in all three games of the series," said head coach Kathy Riley. "We were able to come back in several critical situations that earlier in the year we didn't come back from, so we're starting to see some growth in that area."

Sweeney matched her career-high of three hits, as part of a four-RBI day for the freshman. She slugged her third home run of the week to dig Longwood out of a 3-2 deficit and give the squad a 5-3 lead. After not hitting a bomb in the first 25 games of her career, the freshman's bat has come alive with three round-trippers in the past week to go along with reaching base safely in seven straight games.

"Any freshman has an adjustment period to get used to college pitching," Riley said. "I think it's just a matter of time for her to see more college pitching and find out her strengths and weaknesses."

Meanwhile, Baltzell continued her ascent in the pursuit of the Big South home run record with a go-ahead three run blast in the top of the sixth inning. It was her second straight game with a home run, as she has eight dingers in her past nine games. Despite only being eligible for Longwood's three seasons as a member of the Big South for the conference home run record, Baltzell sits two home runs shy of the all-time career mark held by Liberty's Jessica Moore.

Elizabeth McCarthy (13-9) picked up the win in her 10th consecutive start. The sophomore allowed five runs on 11 hits and two walks in seven complete innings. She posted just two strikeouts, which marks the lowest strikeout total for McCarthy over her 10 straight start span.

Katie Baker (10-12) took her second loss of the weekend for the Camels in relief of starter Julia Callicutt. Baker gave up six runs, all earned, on four hits and four walks in 4.0 innings pitched. Callicutt pitched three innings, giving up two earned runs on two hits and two walks.

After dropping the second game of the series Friday night via a walk-off home run, Longwood rebounded to win its fourth rubber match game of the season. The Lancers also recorded a rubber match win against Coastal Carolina, Winthrop and Presbyterian earlier this season.

"It's big for us to take two-of-three this weekend," Baltzell said. "It's one of our goals every year to win each conference series."

Justina Augustine gave the Lancers a big lift in the opening at-bat of the game with her second home run of the weekend to right field. After Baltzell was walked on four pitches two batters later, she stole second and came around to score on an RBI infield single from Sweeney.

Longwood (17-19, 11-4) had an opportunity to add to its lead in the top of the second inning after a leadoff bunt single from Glenn Walters and a walk to Carly Adams. The runners advanced to second and third off a double steal with Katie Shinrock at the plate, but ultimately would be stranded in scoring position after a Casey Lifsey strikeout and a weak ground ball to short off the bat of Augustine.

Campbell (20-20, 3-11) answered with a three-run home run in the bottom of the second inning. Brittany Bruce notched an infield single to short, before Camise Patterson moved her to third with a one out single to left field. That brought up Bailey Bjorson, who blasted the second pitch from McCarthy over the fence in left field.

Longwood was able to regain the lead on a three-run bomb off the bat of Sweeney. Baltzell and Emily Murphy were each issued a free pass to start the inning and Sweeney turned on a 1-2 pitch to send it over the wall left center field to regain a 5-3 lead.

"It was really important for me to step up and help my team get a big win today," Sweeney said. "I was struggling a little in the series and it was really important to me to step up and get it done."

However, the Camels came right back to get a run on a hit in the home half of the inning on an RBI groundout from Bruce to score Ericka Nesbitt. Campbell tied the game with the leadoff batter in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Stephanie Jones led off the frame with a dinger to left field.

The Lancers had a response in the top of the sixth. Baltzell came up to the plate after Augustine reached on a fielder's choice and Murphy was hit by a pitch. The Camels decided to pitch to Baltzell after pitching around her two innings earlier, leading to Sweeney's three-run blast. Baltzell made the Camels pay for the decision after dispatching a 1-1 pitch over the right field wall to score Augustine and Murphy to give her squad an 8-5 lead.

"I didn't think they were going to give me anything to groove, so I was just trying to get a pitch to drive," Baltzell said. "I wasn't planning on hitting a home run, but I was just trying to get a hit and get a spark going."

Campbell recorded a pair of two-out hits in the bottom of the inning, but McCarthy induced a Kerstine Womack groundout to end the frame. Meanwhile, in the seventh inning the Camels advanced a pair of runners to second and third, before McCarthy induced a ground ball off the bat of pinch hitter Lia Batchelor to end the game.

Up next, Longwood will return to the Tar Heel State Wednesday for a mid-week doubleheader against North Carolina. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.

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