Game 1
Game 2

NORFOLK, Va. — Longwood left fielder Nichole Simmons went a combined 5-for-6 with a walk, two runs, two RBI and three doubles to help the Lancers to a 3-2, 7-2 doubleheader sweep of the Norfolk State softball team on Thursday afternoon at the NSU Softball Field.

The Lancers (13-14) tallied 22 hits on the day and limited the Spartans (12-17) to a total of 10 hits.

In the first game, Longwood struck first by posting a run in the top of the first and one more in the third to take a 2-0 lead. But in the bottom of the third, Spartan catcher Meghan Ramsey (Virginia Beach, Va.) doubled to left field to drive in Danielle Wright (Safety Harbor, Fla.) and Jamie Raab (Houston, Tex.) and tie things up at 2-2.

The Lancers broke the tie in the sixth inning on back-to-back doubles to left center field by Maggie Margadonna and Emily Betterton. NSU could not generate any more offense in the final two innings, giving Longwood its first win of the day.

Brittany Spencer earned the win for the Lancers after pitching six innings and giving up four hits, two earned runs and striking out eight. Lancer reliever Briana Wells picked up her first save of the season after tossing one shutout inning where she allowed one hit and struck out three.

Alyssa Velazquez (Aurora, Colo.) fell to 10-7 on the season with the loss. She gave up 10 hits and three runs (two earned) while striking out two in 5.1 innings.

The Lancers jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead after the first three innings of game 2. They recorded two more by the sixth inning with the first coming on a lead-off solo home run by Lashunda Davis in the fourth.

NSU got one run in the fifth on Rebecca Barnes' (Hampton, Va.) double to right field that scored Jeanette Sauceda (Ontario, Calif.). The next two batters walked to load the bases, but Wells struck out Ramsey for the third out of the inning.

Wells went the distance, allowing five hits, two earned runs and striking out nine. Casey Pomeroy (Fallon, Nev.) gave up nine hits and six earned runs in three innings of work in the losing effort.

Elizabeth Castaneda (Montclair, Calif.) threw a total of 5.2 innings in two no-decision outings on the day. She threw 1.2 shutout innings in the first game and gave up three hits and one earned run in four innings in game 2.

The Spartans head back to the Sunshine State to play a three-game Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference series against Florida A&M in Tallahassee, Fla. Games start at noon on Saturday and Sunday.