Tennessee ends Longwood’s historic season
What a season it was for Longwood Softball. The best word to sum it up by far is perseverance.
The Lancers battled back from what looked to be a disappointed season to earn their fourth Big South title in five years. The fun didn’t stop in Farmville, as Longwood upset to Top 25 caliber teams, Ohio State and USC Upstate, in Knoxville during the NCAA Regionals.
Longwood came into Sunday needing to beat the host #8 Volunteers twice and the Lancers certainly gave it all they had. Vols pitcher Matty Moss (25–2) was fresh off a one-hit performance against Longwood on Friday night, but Longwood was able to be more proficient against her on Sunday.
Sydney Gay got the start in the circle for Longwood and went six innings giving up two earned runs and striking out five Vols. Kathy Riley then made a bit of an unorthodox move bringing in Sydney Mundall to pitch in the seventh. Mundall hadn’t pitched since April 23 against Presbyterian. She quickly gave up a run and poetically Biz McCarthy came in to get the final out of the year for Longwood.
In the end one of the nation’s top pitchers, Moss, was just too much once again for Longwood in a 3–0 loss. Longwood was able to get four hits, but Moss commanded the game with nine strikeouts and no walks.
Longwood finishes yet another amazing season with a 30–29 mark. The gratifying performance in Knoxville cemented a .500+ record for Kathy Riley for the twentieth straight year.
While Liberty will most likely be the preseason favorites in the Big South next season, Longwood will still return a lot of talent to Lancer Field. Gone will be Biz McCarthy, Longwood’s most decorated pitcher of all-time, and offensive catalyst Justina Augustine. But Kathy Riley will still have a bona fide ace in Sydney Gay and bring back the whole starting lineup sans Augustine.
Bugg Batten and Jordan Clark will step into the limelight for Longwood, while Riley will look for a more consistent season of hitting from contributors like Glenn Walters, Destiny Martinez, Krista Kelly, and Karleigh Donovan.
