Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Sophomore right-hander Maggie Chapin held Gardner-Webb to two hits and five walks as the Longwood softball team rebounded to shut out the Runnin’ Bulldogs, 4-0, and earn a doubleheader split to lift the lid on the Big South Conference slate at Brinkley Softball Stadium Saturday.

Chapin (8-8), who absorbed the loss in a 10-0, five-inning defeat in the opener, responded to help Longwood (8-17, 1-1) post its third shutout victory of the season. The win also gave fourth-year head coach Dr. Megan Brown her 100th in change of the Lancers and 51st in Big South action. Brown is 100-90 (.526) overall and 51-19 (.729) in the league.

“So proud of our team and their fight and grit,” Brown said. “Have to keep growing, learning and building each day. Have lots of hard work ahead.”

Chapin struck out one and induced 17 flyball outs in her sixth complete game of the season, throwing 105 pitches.

Breaking down Longwood softball

Senior Lauren Fox went 2-for-3 with a walk, run scored and RBI at the top of the lineup, setting the table for sophomore Sophia Knock, who drove in a pair of runs. Classmate Kate Westmiller also drove in a run with the first of two consecutive run-scoring groundballs that accounted for the final two runs of the game in the fourth.

The Lancers put the first two batters of the game on base as Fox singled and Taylor walked before Knock singled to center field with one out off of Kalyn Kyle (8-3), plating Fox for the lead.

Longwood added to the advantage when Kayley DeVivi led off the top of the third with a sinking line drive that eluded the outstretched glove of center fielder Meredith Wayland, bouncing all the way to the wall and lodged in the fence. DeVivi, rounding second, was awarded third on the play. Knock then lifted a ball to center that chased DeVivi home for a 2-0 edge.

Kyle took the loss for Gardner-Webb, surrendering all four runs on five hits and a walk in three innings, prior to giving way to Elle Doolittle.

Gardner-Webb (21-8, 1-1) ambushed Longwood with five runs in the first two innings of the first game of the day and Andrea Lyon (9-2) did the rest. The righty yielded just a leadoff single to left field to Fox on the fourth pitch of the game and preceded to retire 15 straight hitters. She struck out two, got nine flyouts and threw just 50 pitches. Lyon also belted a two-run home run to left as part of a four-run second frame.

Adrienne Visintine and Emily Garcia each collected two of the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ nine hits in the win, while Araceli Pesqueira drove in a pair of runs, as well.

The teams close the series Sunday at noon on ESPN+.